


Determination Mono

by Silencium1



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Being a Monster from a Human Perspective, Gen, Gender-Neutral Chara (Undertale), Kinda, Male Frisk (Undertale), No More Resets (Undertale), Skeleton Frisk (Undertale), Soulless Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2020-03-02 18:39:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18816742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silencium1/pseuds/Silencium1
Summary: Frisk did it. He killed everyone he knew and loved. Everyone was either dust or in hiding, thanks to him. When all was said and done, he traded his SOUL, the very culmination of his being, to bring back the world.But there was an interference with the trade.Will Frisk be able to complete this new timeline, even when cut off from the RESET?... Even when he is no longer human, but a skeleton instead?





	1. A New Beginning (From an Old Ending)

“Let us erase this pointless world, and move on to the next,” said the demon that stood before Frisk, holding out a hand to the dust-covered child.

 

Before Frisk floated two options; Erase, and Do Not. Frisk weighed his options. On one hand, he DID kill everyone he loved, so he might as well erase the world, in the hopes that he would die with it, because he knew he would deserve it.

 

But on the other hand, he wanted to not destroy the world. He held the power of RESET, so he could just rewind time to ensure that this horrid timeline would cease to exist, and set things right once again, giving everyone the happy ending he knew everyone should have.

 

“Chara,” Frisk started, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Do you remember what I felt right after Undyne turned to dust?”

 

Chara looked quizzically at Frisk, then gave an unnerving smile. “Why, yes I do, Frisky; you felt your power increase after such a foe, like you always have.”

 

“That wasn’t the only thing,” Frisk replied. “The other thing that I felt that you didn’t say was guilt, and second thoughts.”

 

The demon looked unperturbed. “I do remember you feeling such things, however, I ignored such insignificant feelings,” their eyes darkened. “BECAUSE WHY WOULD A MURDERER FEEL GUILT OVER THE VICTIMS THEY SO RUTHLESSLY CUT DOWN?!”

 

Frisk cringed at the remark. He was expecting them to respond something along those lines, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. “The kind of murderer who still loved his friends even after giving into someone else’s temptation.”

 

Chara pondered. “Hmm, an interesting response. That does not change the fact that you still gave in to the curiosity. Weren’t you ever taught to never give in to such things?” They chuckled. “Now, enough stalling. It is your time to choose.”

 

Frisk shook his head. “I may have gave in to your suggestions, but even a murderer can find redemption. ‘Do you think anyone can be a good person, if they just try?’ I believe in that,” Frisk rose his right arm, hovering it over ‘Do Not’. “I choose ‘Do Not’, so that I may set things right… how they should be,” he pressed the button.

 

“‘No’?” Chara asked, seeming unconcerned, which unsettled Frisk. “Hmm… How curious. It seems you must have misunderstood,” their eyes hollowed out, revealing pitch-black pits. “SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?” they shouted, and began to laugh, black tar leaking from the pits of their eyes as they floated toward Frisk menacingly.

 

Frisk scrambled backward, trying to get away from the demon, but a wall of darkness pressed against his back, preventing him from going any further. Turning back, Frisk flinched away when Chara brandished their knife, who laughed in mocking glee. Frisk turned away when the knife swung.

 

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* * *

  
  


Wind blew throughout a dark and formless void, which seemed impossible, but Frisk wasn’t about question the logic in that. Regardless of what the cause was, all he knew was that he was stuck there.

 

Frisk didn’t know how long he had spent in that void before Chara’s presence returned, because time appeared to be warped there; several eternities passed in the same timespan as an instant, and the inverse was true. “Interesting,” they said. “You want to go back. You want to go back to the world you destroyed. It was you who pushed everything to its edge. It was you who led the world to its destruction. But you cannot accept it. You think you are above consequences.”

 

“No, I do not think that I am above consequences,” Frisk responded, looking down.

 

A beat passed. “Perhaps. We can reach a compromise. You still have something I want. Give it to me. And I will bring this world back,” Chara stated, a patient tone in their voice.

 

“Yes!” Frisk gasped, not caring what it took.

 

“Then it is agreed. You will give me your SOUL,” Chara confirmed what Frisk said.

 

“Yes,” Frisk stated more firmly, genuinely believing that his SOUL was worth getting the world back.

 

Frisk felt a static-y presence rush past him as Chara said their next line, SOUL already beginning to feel hollow. “… Then, it is-” they made the sound of being shoved to the side. “WHAT?! GIVE ME BACK THAT SOUL!!!”

 

Feeling briefly returned to his SOUL as static sounded all around him, before it felt like it was plunged into cold water, then felt hollowed out again, but not as much as before. “YEAH! You better give me back my rightfully-earned SOUL!” Chara shouted, before clearing what sounded to be their throat. “Like I said before the rude interruption, then it is done.”

 

Frisk felt the familiar sensation of a RESET beginning to fall. He closed his eyes and smiled, wondering what that commotion was but glad to be going back to the world.

 

The static returned, right next to Frisk. He didn’t know how he knew, but it felt like it was leaning to his ear. “You shall get the second chance you wanted, child,” it whispered with a voice that sounded like a bad radio reception. “This new timeline will be harder than you are used to, I fear,” the new voice spoke.

 

“Stay Determined, Frisk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments are appreciated


	2. Feeling Sick of Unoriginal Timelines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk goes through the RUINS once again, but something feels incredibly... off

Frisk fell harshly onto the flowers that cushioned his fall at the beginning of each RESET. Immediately checking himself over, he noticed that his shirt and shorts were still covered in Monster dust. That was strange, considering that with each RESET, he would be all clean. At least it was no longer clinging to his skin.

 

Shaking his head, Frisk held his hand over his heart. Sure enough, while feeling a little hollow, his SOUL was right where it belonged. Laughing slightly, he thought Chara slipped up… or that mysterious figure gave it back to its rightful owner, even if it no longer belonged to him.

 

Frisk suddenly became aware of the weight that was in his pockets, so he reached into them and pulled out-

 

The Locket and Real Knife.

 

He shuddered, tossing the accursed objects as far away from him as he could. Once he was sure that they were far enough away, he brushed himself as best as he could and stood up.

 

… Only to be hit with a massive wave of vertigo, stomach feeling like it was flopping all over. Frisk held his head until the wave passed, taking a tentative step to ensure he would not fall over. Other than slight shaking, his weight held. He took a few more steps forward to make sure he could still walk well, before walking into the next room.

 

Just like the beginning of most other timelines, Flowey was in the center of the room. However, unlike the others, he was turned away from Frisk and… shivering? Frisk began to walk forward, brows knit together in concern.

 

Flowey turned around rapidly at the clopping sound of Frisk’s boots, shivering violently at the sight of him. “Get away, you freak!” he shrieked, extreme fear written in his face and lacing his tone. “Don’t even  _ say _ anything, unless you want to be sprayed with bullets!”

 

“Relax, Flowey,” Frisk said in a low, placating voice while holding his hands where Flowey could see them. “I’m not going to-” he continued, before gasping in pain, clutching his arms where several bullets pierced through.

 

“I know that you’ll just RESET if I kill you, but at least I’ll keep you trapped here!” Flowey shouted, preparing several more bullets to send at Frisk.

 

Soft footsteps came into hearing distance, as both Frisk and Flowey turned to look at the entrance of the RUINS. Making a squeak of fear, Flowey quickly burrowed underground to avoid being seen by the person and being hit by flames.

 

“My, what is making all the noise over here?” Toriel asked, walking into the room and taking a look around. She noticed Frisk. “Oh! A child,” she cleared her throat before continuing. “Greetings, I am Toriel, Caretaker of the RUINS. Do not be afraid. Please, follow me child,” she turned and walked through the entrance.

 

Going after Toriel, Frisk walked into the next room, and made a beeline for the SAVE point. Touching it, he then noticed that it looked… dimmer, and it wasn’t as warm as it usually was. Shrugging, Frisk turned away, and went up the stairs.

 

* * *

  
  


“Be good, and stay here. See you soon,” Toriel told Frisk, who nodded once in reply as he pocketed the phone. Toriel turned around and left the hallway.

 

Looking around the room once Toriel left, Frisk continued through the doorway like he had done in multiple timelines prior. After reassuring Toriel that he was still in the hallway, Frisk turned to the left, into the candy room. Reaching for only a single piece of candy, the sudden thought of eating made him nauseous. Clutching his stomach, Frisk took a few deep breaths before grabbing one. This new development was beginning to bug him; he had never become sick this early in a timeline before.

 

Shaking his head, Frisk backed out of the room, continuing his journey through the RUINS. He noticed that this SAVE point was even dimmer and cooler than the previous one. Raising an eyebrow in concern, this was a little weird; the SAVE point usually got warmer (but not uncomfortably) as he went through the Underground, at the same rate as his Determination was rising.

 

He did not want to think about what this meant, but he felt like it meant he had limited SAVEs left.

 

He picked up his pace through the RUINS, hardly bothering to do his usual flirting (What? He thought the Monsters’ reactions were funny). Something was very wrong with him; when answering his preference, he had a coughing fit, and thought he vomited a bit of bile, except it was black and sticky like tar.

 

Frisk shivered a bit at the mouse hole SAVE point, this one unusually cold and dim, almost a small silver star rather than its usual golden. Exhaling loudly, Frisk entered the next room, and nudged Napstablook before the ghost could do their normal activity of pretending to sleep.

 

“Here comes Napstablook,” they said gloomily.

 

Frisk covered his mouth, coughing, before giving Napstablook a patient smile. They smiled a bit. “heh,” they said, bullets in the shape of tears forming in their eyes before falling toward Frisk, who dodged them easily.

 

“Want to go onto an elevator? I know that it’ll lift your spirits,” Frisk jokes, holding his forehead in his hand as a sudden bout of light-headed hit him. Napstablook’s face turned slightly concerned, but only a tad bit.

 

The gray attack came, but it appeared to have been altered. “REALLY NOT FEELING UP TO IT RIGHT NOW. YOU DON’T LOOK REALLY GOOD YOURSELF, THOUGH.”

 

Frisk wiped a bit of sweat from his brow, shaking his head slightly while smiling. When had his heart begin to race. “I don’t know, Napstablook. But I think I’ll-” he started, but a massive wave of weakness and nausea hit him, causing his knees to buckle and he began to heave, holding his hand over his mouth in a vain attempt to not spew vomit on the ground.

 

“oh no… i wanted to show you something neat next, but it appears that you are too sick to give a response…….” Napstablook said, looking saddened again. “i’d like to help, but i’ll only end up making you feel worse. i was hoping we could be friends after this, but i don’t have anything to help you. it is too bad, as you were very nice until this happened… oh noooooooooooooooooooo,” they said, disappearing.

 

Even if he could, Frisk was unable to respond, black tar beginning to leak from behind his fingers. Hacking very hard, he let out all the black tar that was building up in his mouth. After several more seconds of dry heaving, the exertion made him collapse, ragged breathing as he landed in his own puddle of black tar, losing consciousness.

 

* * *

  
  


Flowey popped up not even half a minute later, making to avoid the puddle of tar. He tilted his head in curiosity at the sight of the shuddering human. “Yeesh, kid. What happened to make this happen to you? Was it something that you did after killing me?” Silence. “I might not be able to take your SOUL, but, I might as well take a look at it.”

 

This timeline was confusing him. He remembered Cha- no, the human, slaughter everyone in their path in the previous timeline, but now they were making friends with everyone? Flowey knew that this human was a pacifist at heart, so what made them go on a complete genocide in the previous timeline?

 

Flowey brushed those thoughts as the familiar sound of a SOUL appeared, not too unlike uncorking a bottle. The sight of the SOUL greatly disturbed him.

 

For starters, a SOUL, regardless of race, should be floating upright,  _ not _ tilting forward. The SOUL appeared to be… in the process of flipping over? He could see it slowly, but steadily, continue its tilt. On another note, thin strands of red were streaming off to God-knows-where.

 

Flowey closed his eyes, shuddering heavily, then allowed the SOUL to go back to the unconscious human, trying to avoid watching the small stream of tar still pooling from the mouth. He might not be able to feel anything, but he still knew that he couldn’t just leave them to Toriel finding them like this.

 

… Toriel, that’s it! Flowey knew that she has had experience with… whatever was happening to them right now.

 

“Guess it’s up to little old me to get you some help!” Flowey chirped, knowing that the human was unconscious. “I’ll get the old hag to take you in!” He ducked underground, but not before whispering into the still body’s ear “You owe me an explanation for everything after this is done,  _ Frisk _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments are appreciated


	3. Undergoing Conversion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see more of what is happening to Frisk

Toriel sighed as she hid away the knife she used for cooking, washing it off first. Her mind was still somewhat reeling from the state she found the child earlier in the evening.

 

She had just begun to make the pie when she heard shouting from outside her front door. Opening it, she saw… a flower? She has never seen a flower Monster before, and this particular one, for some reason, made her feel very cautious. It told her of what was happening to the human, who collapsed just further than the cheese table.

 

It had scared her, to see the small pool of tar pooling in front of their mouth. She feared for several seconds that they were dead. However, those fears were relieved of when she checked their breathing; it was uneven, but there.

 

She took the child into her arms, their health more important to her than clean robes. Taking them back to her house, Toriel placed them onto the bed in the room next to hers, cleaning as much as the tar from their clothes as possible, wiping it from their mouth as well. She feared that what she was thinking was happening.

 

Shaking the recent memory from her head, Toriel placed the single slice of cinnamon-butterscotch onto a plate, putting a fork next to the pie, then walked towards the room. However, several feet away from the door, she heard shouting coming from the room.

 

“Holy crap! What the heck is happening?! Toriel! Get in here!” the flower’s voice came from the room. It had asked to watch the human for it to wake up, and while she didn’t trust it to, at least it asked politely for it.

 

(As if it knew exactly how to get through to her.)

 

Toriel took a deep breath, before closing the last few yards, plate in one hand, doorknob in the other, and opened the door.

 

Her SOUL dropped at the sight of what was happening.

 

The human child was tossing and turning in the bed, chunks of black tar sloughing from their body and disappearing to god-knows, some areas already showing the off-white color of human skeleton beneath. Her greatest fears were confirmed then and there.

 

This human was undergoing Conversion.

 

“What are you doing, just standing there?! Do something!” the flower screeched at her, summoning some seed-shaped bullets to vent its frustration.

 

Toriel glared at it, which promptly shut it up, unsummoning its bullets before she placed the plate on the bookshelf, stepped over to the bed, and took the child into her lap, sitting on the bed as she did her best to soothe them. “Shh, my child,” she spoke softly, running her paws through what was left of their hair. Their breathing was still ragged. “It will be over really soon. I promise.”

 

Turning a human into a skeleton, also known as Skeletal Conversion, was a process used to turn a human’s recently deceased body into a pseudo-Monster. With Skeletal, it required the SOUL and skeleton to be intact, and a specific magic to be used. In the years before the War, Toriel had watched over multiple rituals of it, accompanied by both Monsters and the human family members.

 

Human opinion on Conversion varied widely; some wanted it banned outright due to it making them ‘no longer completely human’, others saw it as a second chance at life. One thing many agreed upon was that it should, under no circumstances, be used on children, for the Converted remembered every detail of their life, including their own death. Understandably, it would wreak havoc on their young mind.

 

One thing that had been noted upon was that the process didn’t work on the living humans, because upon death, the SOUL separates from the body, so it would be ‘reabsorbed’ back into their Monster-like body. If there was any tissue left, it would simply slide off the bone before dissolving into thin air. Many Monsters and humans believed that it was because the magic wouldn’t attach to the body.

 

The only thing unusual about what was happening to this child, other than still living at this point, was the black tar their body was turning into. All in all, their Conversion was quite the anomaly.

 

“They’re- they’re a skeleton?” the flower asked, dumbfoundedly. Toriel heard it mutter something about ‘why them didn’t tell it’, but she paid it no mind, looking back at the child lying in her lap.

 

There were still pieces of flesh still sticking to them, but other than that, they looked like any other skeleton Monster, albeit with the typical bone color of a normal human skeleton. Their breathing had evened out. Plucking off the remaining flesh from their bones, Toriel sighed in relief, believing the worst to have passed.

 

The pieces of flesh liquified into black tar, slipping from her fingers and plopping on the ground like large drops of water, but she paid it no mind. Shaking them slightly, she had to know if they were okay. “My child, please wake up.”

 

Frisk opened his eyes groggily, groaning. His entire body felt very sore, as if it were raw flesh. He vaguely noticed that his head was on Toriel’s lap. He looked up at her, becoming slightly worried; this had never happened before in any previous timeline, no matter how long he tried staying in bed, restlessly sleeping. Maybe it was because he got sick this timeline?

 

“My child, please do not be alarmed, but I want you to look at your hands,” she stated quickly, as if testing something.

 

Frisk knit his eyebrows in confusion. “Why?” he asked, but even that felt strange; he felt his cheeks and lips move, but his teeth didn’t move. In fact, he felt no movement of tongue or throat either, the word just originating from the back of his mouth. “What is happening?”

 

“Just listen to her, moron,” Flowey grumbled, to which Toriel shot him a glare.

 

She cleared her throat. “Child, while I do not approve of their language use, I beg of you to please listen to me, and look at your hands.”

 

Frisk nodded once, nervously raising his hands into his vision, and gasped.

 

He was now a skeleton.

 

* * *

  
  


*Meanwhile, On the Other side of the Barrier*

 

* * *

  
  


The last piece of tar joined their body, which in turn gave their body color and movement. Their body was now complete, surrounding the new SOUL they had obtained in the void between the two timelines. Their wide eyes and smile, combined with the prominent blush, made for an unnerving sight.

 

They were pretty sure that any human who would come up right now would be very unsettled… along with being dead where they stood.

 

“Well,” Chara chuckled, turning away from the mountain containing the Barrier, and out toward the city. “It is time that I start with what Asriel failed to let me do long ago.” Brandishing their knife, they then began the trek toward the city that now stood where their village once was.

 

Humanity, in their eyes, was going to pay absolutely everything for what they did to them, and should Frisk somehow destroy the Barrier with the Monsters wanting to help humanity…

 

…

 

Chara would make the Monsters pay as well, for the betrayal of their prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments are appreciated!


	4. A Talk of Timelines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Flowey have a discussion

Frisk stared down at his skeletal hands, hardly believing them himself. The bones were an off-white color, unlike Sans and Papyrus’ Monster SOUL white. In addition, there appeared to be multiple bones that were added, to make his hand look more like, well, an actual hand, than a normal human skeleton.

 

Idly wondering if he could pop it off, Frisk tugged slightly at his wrist.

 

“Ahem,” Toriel said, clearing her throat, Frisk looking up her attentively. His lack of shock of being a skeleton was unnerving her. “Well, since you’re taking this… unusually well, considering you’re the first human since the War to have undergone conversion.”

 

“Excuse me, Toriel,” Flowey butt in, Frisk turning his gaze to the SOULless being that was sitting in a flower pot, wondering why Flowey was here, and not trying to kill him. “I would like to talk to the kid. Alone.”

 

“I have to ask, but what it the reason?” Toriel responded, eyeing the flower warily.

 

“Because,” Flowey said in a syrupy sweet voice. “There are some… things, that we both need to discuss. Alone.”

 

Toriel crossed her arms. “And why should I take your word for it and hope you  _ don’t _ try attacking them?”

 

Flowey looked slightly perplexed at the amount of deja vu she was showing toward his motivations, but quickly covered them up with a plastered-on smile. “Why, I wouldn’t dream of hurting them,” Frisk shot a quick glare at him, “But I know that if I hurt them under your roof, you’ll just burn me to a crisp, and that’s the last thing I want.”

 

Toriel narrowed her eyes and sighed. “Okay, I’ll leave you two be. BUT, I’ll come in in a while, so you had better be finished with what you want,” she said, getting up and walking out of the room.

 

Flowey turned his gaze toward Frisk. “Okay…  _ Frisk _ ,” he took great satisfaction at Frisk’s stiffening of their posture. “In the words of Smiley Trashbag,  _ let’s just get to the point _ .”

 

“How do you know my name?!” Frisk asked, dumbfounded. “I haven’t even told you-Asriel… whichever, my name in this timeline, or the previous timeline, considering you were busy projecting Chara onto me last timeline!”

 

“I don’t know!” Flowey said, huffing. “I’m pretty sure that whatever you did last timeline somehow unlocked the memories that came before that ‘True RESET’. I don’t know how that works, but I DO remember the Monsters being on the Surface for THREE WHOLE YEARS before you just HAD to RESET!”

 

Frisk stared at Flowey, thinking of what happened that timeline; Asgore and Toriel did not get back together, but they did manage to reconcile enough to be in the same room. Papyrus was also doing quite well as the ambassador, even managing to get Monsters able to apply for human workplaces. And Frisk? Frisk went back to his biological parents, in which he was thankful that they lived in the same city. It was made even better for the fact that they were genuine supporters of the Monsters, even attending and participating in many of their picnics and barbeques.

 

“I don’t know why I allowed Chara to talk me into last timeline,” Frisk muttered under his breath. He turned back to Flowey.

 

Flowey had a visibly scared expression on his face, shuddering and sweating slightly. “Y-you said Ch-Chara talked you into last timeline?” Frisk nodded. Flowey gulped. “Well, if the attack on me was anything to go by, then I’ll be DEAD if they catch me next time.”

 

Frisk put a bony finger to his chin. “That reminds me; why aren’t you trying to kill me right now? You looked ready to kill me back at the beginning.”

 

Flowey took a moment to compose himself. “I  _ was _ ready to kill you. The last thing I remember was you… or Chara, striking me down! I thought the last timeline was about to repeat itself,” he shuddered once again. “As for the other, remember: I got my memories back, so killing ANYONE is off-limits now. Former ‘Asriel Dreemurr, God of Hyperdeath’ ring any bells?”

 

Frisk groaned, pressing his hands up to his sockets, one important detail returning to the forefront of his memory. “How are we supposed to destroy the Barrier now? Everyone will think that I’m a Monster, so Asgore wouldn’t fight me, which means no revealing of the SOULs!”

 

Flowey inhaled through his teeth. “Yeah, about that: even IF you could somehow get Asgore to show you the SOULs… I am NOT going to absorb them and everyone’s SOULs again, just so that I’ll become empty once again; going through it once was bad enough.”

 

Frisk suddenly perked up, thinking of something. “Flowey, what if I RESET again? See if I could undo this?”

 

The former prince looked at Frisk sullenly. “I already tried, considering that you’re now technically a Monster, but it wouldn’t work. But go ahead and try.”

 

Frisk closed his sockets (wondering how it was possible with his recently-turned skeleton), concentrating all of his DETERMINATION into RESETting, along with mentally reaching back for the power. The RESET button was just barely out of grasp, as if someone was playing with it on a string. Had that not been enough, the motions of reaching it were as if he were moving through tar. Whenever he felt it, it slipped away, out of grasp.

 

He sighed, opening his eyes and looking at Flowey with a defeated expression. “It’s just out of reach.”

 

“Felt the same way for me,” Flowey said, looking at Frisk.

 

Frisk took the flower pot, Flowey making no attempt to prevent it. Frisk walked to the door, putting a hand on the knob.

 

This timeline had only one chance, so they couldn’t risk to botch anything more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments are appreciated!


	5. Fonts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk begins lessons with Toriel.
> 
> Meanwhile, Sans and Papyrus have a talk

Frisk walked into the living room, Flowey in pot, before setting him on the table, turning to Toriel. Toriel looked up at Frisk, smiling slightly, but with a small waver. “Greetings, my child. How are you, *ahem*, ‘feeling’, after your little chat?”

 

Frisk rubbed the back of his skull uncomfortably. “Uh, other than feeling a bit raw and achy, I feel fine.”

 

Toriel bit her lip. “How ‘fine’ would you say? Your Conversion was most unusual, and I have overseen quite a number myself. Are you fine enough to have something to eat? Or would you rather start lessons?”

 

Frisk put a finger to his chin. “Um… I would rather do the lessons right now.”

 

Toriel clapped her hands together. “Good choice,” she stood up from her chair. “Please take a seat at the table while I gather your materials.”

 

Frisk watched as the motherly goat sped off to her room. He then looked at Flowey, who just shrugged as best he could. “What are you looking at me for? You are fully aware of the fact that she has prepared this for every human to have fallen down here, right? So stop looking at me like that!”

 

The nanny goat returned a minute later, teaching materials in her arms, as the skeleton took a seat at the table. Toriel placed a slightly-used notebook in front of him. “Now, this may be a trivial thing to you, but I have to ask; can you tell me your name?”

 

Frisk raised a brow. She wanted to know his name this early in a timeline? Of course, he kind of wished that she did that in previous timelines (not that he was complaining that it was Asriel who asked of it), but he was glad enough that she asked. “Oh! My name is-”

 

His voice halted, not because of emotion, or rethinking his decision. It would just. Not. Let. Him. He tried it again for a couple more times, to no avail.

 

“What are you doing? We both know that your name is  _ Frisk _ ,” Flowey snarked boredly.

 

Toriel sighed, giving the flower a disapproving look. Why the Converted trusted it was beyond her, despite all the mental alarms going off in her head, but she set it aside. “‘Frisk?’ That sounds like a lovely name, but I do know the reason behind you being unable to say it.”

 

“And what would the reason behind it be?” Frisk asked nervously, unsure if he’d like the answer.

 

“Those who undergo Conversion, as you have experienced, remember all information of their human life and personality,” she pinched between her eyes. “But your SOUL rejects the name they formerly associated with. Instead, you’ll be given a new name.”

 

“What?!” Frisk nearly shouted, nearly knocking over Flowey. “Why would my SOUL reject my name?!”

 

Toriel looked slightly saddened, with a sad smile. “I know it hurts, my child, to lose the name you’ve associated with for your entire life, but I assure you; you will eventually learn it.”

 

“What do you mean by ‘learn it’?” Frisk grumbled, looking down his sternum.

 

“Well, you’re technically fated to an encounter or situation, where your new name, known as a Font, is revealed to you,” Toriel explained.

 

That last line made Frisk do a double-take. “Font? Like Sans or Papyrus?” he chuckled a bit. “Maybe even WingDings?”

 

Toriel frowned, furrowing her brows in thought. “Those are quite… specific names, for you to mention, but yes… Though I do not ever recall meeting a WingDings before. I don’t even remember if that’s a Font anyone could have…”

 

The air in the room became thick with a sort of awkward tension, like someone needed to remember something very important. Even Flowey appeared to be affected by it. “Why don’t we have something to eat before continuing?” Frisk blurted out; anything to get rid of the tension.

 

Toriel shook herself out of the tension. “Of course, my child. I think it would be right for us to have something to eat first,” she said, getting out of her seat and entering the kitchen.

 

Flowey turned to Frisk. “You know, ever since you woke up looking like… you know,” he began, looking the skeleton up and down. “I haven’t seen your teeth open up, and I sure as heck never witnessed the Trashbag eat anything before, so I’ve got to ask; How will you eat?”

 

Frisk tilted his head, thinking it over in his head. “Good point,” was all he replied.

 

The soulless being cleared his throat. “Other than that, you never asked me if  _ I _ wanted anything to eat. I would’ve figure that  _ you _ of all people would ask me.”

 

“Oh, sorry. If Toriel allowed, would you like anything to eat?”

 

“No!”

 

* * *

  
  


Sans sighed as he exited the shortcut back to his station after his third patrol down the path that led to the RUINs, grabbing a bottle of ketchup. This was very strange; the kid, even in the previous timeline, would usually exit the doors by now.

 

The fact he was now able to remember every previous timeline was odd as well, considering that, before, he and Papyrus only got snippets of memory between each timeline. None were enough to do anything more than give bits of emotion and change usual dialogue slightly. But now…

 

“SANS!” Papyrus stomped into the clearing holding the first station. “HAVE YOU FOUND A HUMAN YET?” he, surprisingly, lowered his voice. “Specifically, one roughly your height and goes by the name of ‘Frisk’?!”

 

Sans coughed out a bit of ketchup at the mention of the murderer’s name, but not out of surprise of Papyrus knowing the name (they both confirmed the previous afternoon that they both remembered everything), but because, even after what they experienced in the previous timeline, Papyrus still wanted to be friends. “papyrus, you do remember that the little demon  _ beheaded _ you, right?”

 

“YES, I DO REMEMBER THEM DOING THAT. HOWEVER, REMEMBER THAT I STILL TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVED IN THEM. AND I STILL DO,” Papyrus stated, looking at Sans, who wore a slightly confounded expression. “WHAT? I HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT YOU WOULD’VE WATCHED OUR ENCOUNTER REGARDLESS OF TIMELINES THEY HAVE GOTTEN INTO,” he narrowed his sockets. “LIKE A BONY HAWK.”

 

Sans waved a hand in the air, a strange-looking clock-like device appearing from thin air, looking it over. “hmm... looks like they didn’t die at all… dt levels in the underground spiked when they landed, but began dipping rapidly immediately later…” his expression became dark and grim, creeping out his brother. “a death at the lowest dt count. brat must’ve killed someone in a desperate attempt to raise their dt…”

 

“SANS! DON’T MAKE SUCH ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE,” Papyrus berated. “EVEN IF IT COMES FROM A VERY COMPLEX DEVICE THAT GIVES SCARILY ACCURATE ASSUMPTIONS FOR YOU… REGARDING TEMPORAL TOMFOOLERY.”

 

Sans waved away the device. “yeah? well what would you say the reason for the death would be?”

 

“I CAN NAME MULTIPLE,” Papyrus said, crossing his arms. “THEY COULD’VE GOT SCARED AFTER LAST TIMELINE. M-MAYBE THEY WERE VENTING. MAYBE OUR SUDDEN REMEMBRANCE SOMEHOW REMOVED THEIR MEMORY, THUS MAKING THEM ACT THE SAME WAY AS THAT FIRST TIMELINE?”

 

Sans shrugged, taking another swig of ketchup. “welp, if what they did  _ was _ purely by accident as you predict, then i kinda doubt they’d do a full reset just because of one kill.”

 

“GET YOUR SKULL OUT OF THAT NIHILISTIC STATE OF THINKING!” Papyrus said. “ASSUMING THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THE PACIFIST VERSION OTHERWISE, WE COULD JUST ASK THEM NICELY TO RESET.”

 

“i doubt they’d do that,” Sans muttered. “but even if they do repent, you do know that i have a  _ bone _ to pick with ‘em, thanks to last timeline. regardless of any promise.”

 

Papyrus slapped a gloved hand to his bony face from the bad pun… but the last remark gave him an idea. “REGARDLESS OF ANY BAD JOKES YOU MAKE, I DO HAVE A PREPOSITION TO MAKE WITH YOU.”

 

Sans cocked his head slightly. “yeah, what’ll it be?”

 

Papyrus smirked cleverly. “I WANT YOU TO PROMISE ME SOMETHING.”

 

Sans froze up, slightly sweating nervously. “p-papyrus... you do remember how i feel about making promises, right?”

 

“YES, I DO REMEMBER. THIS IS WHY I’M INVOKING IT RIGHT NOW,” Papyrus cleared his non-existent throat. “I WANTED YOU TO PROMISE ME… HEAR THE SMALL HUMAN’S REASON FOR LAST TIMELINE, AND THE DEATH OF THIS ONE. AND TO NOT DO A VIOLENCE AGAINST THEM.”

 

Sans made a slight wheezing noise for a solid minute; while he hated making promises, he could never turn down a direct promise from  _ Papyrus _ . He rarely invoked promises toward Sans, so this must have meant he was being serious. “f-fine,” he choked. “i p-promise.”

 

“WHAT DO YOU PROMISE?” Papyrus leaned over, wanting Sans to complete this rare ritual between them.

 

“i promise… to hear the kid out, and not commit a violence toward them,” Sans gasped, breathing as if it were a struggle to say it.

 

“THERE, YOU PROMISED. ALL IS GOOD,” Papyrus said, placing his hands on his hips. “NOW THAT THAT IS SETTLED… GET BACK TO WORK YOU LAZYBONES. NYEH HEH HEH!” he shouted running to the east.

 

Sans was still breathing heavily, clutching his sternum. Once he got it evened out, he took out a new bottle of ketchup from his station, chugging it down.

 

This timeline will be quite awkward, not to mention difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it feels a bit rushed. I tend to rush things I just want to get out of the way, so I won't suffer through writing it later (suffer as in not wanting to write it but containing information I deemed important). I hope to get to Snowdin next chapter
> 
> Also, it might seem trivial, but can you guess the cause of that awkward tension?
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!


	6. Know When to Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Toriel have a serious talk about something...

The next several days proceeded similarly to one another; Toriel would wake Frisk up. Frisk would replant Flowey in the front of the house. Toriel would then make the two breakfast, before starting on lessons. Before anything else, Toriel would ask for his name (Frisk was disappointed early on that he wouldn’t be able to use magic until he learned his Font), and Frisk would give his response (unable).

 

After spending the morning (and a few hours after lunch), the goat and former-human would go to Toriel’s bug-hunting spot, catching some of the insects and damp-loving things that dwelled in that area of the RUINs, usually snails, before returning home and making dinner, usually snail-based (he was surprised when he learned that some of the non-snail things they caught were meant for consumption). Before going to bed, Flowey would allow Frisk to put him back into his pot.

 

However, for the past two days, Toriel’s gaze toward Frisk had become… contemplative. Several times while bug hunting, Frisk noticed her staring at his back, eyes revealing her to be deep in thought, as if there were conflict in her thoughts. Whenever she snapped her attention back to the present, she always tried to reassure him.

 

Frisk and Toriel had just finished breakfast this morning before something drastically changed, something he never would’ve thought could happen in any other timeline before now. Frisk was just about to retrieve his lesson material before held out a hand that clearly meant ‘stop’. “What are we doing? I thought I was going to learn about the history of Monsters?”

 

“My child, I’m afraid I’ll have to postpone your lessons indefinitely,” Toriel told him, voice sounding solemn, with a hint of sadness. She stood up from her chair, walking to the entryway of the room. “Follow me.”

 

Frisk stood up from his chair, walking behind Toriel as she led him… to the basement? “Um, Miss Toriel? Where are we going?” He was very curious at what was happening.

 

Toriel didn’t stop or answer for him until they were both at the bottom of the stairs. “You know what lies at the end of this tunnel, do you not?”

 

Frisk rubbed the back of his skull nervously. “The end of the RUINs, right?”

 

Toriel continued forward. “Correct.”

 

“Where are you going with this?”

 

Toriel bit her lip, stopping in her tracks. “Had you been still human, I was intending to destroy the doorway to the rest of the Underground. In an effort to… keep you with me,” she stepped forward.

 

“But now?” Frisk asked, unable to contain himself.

 

“Now… I think it would be best for you to move onward from the RUINs, my child,” she replied.

 

“Why?” the skeleton child replied, not that he was for or against that notion.

 

“The RUINs can feel small once one gets used to them, much more should one be a child,” Toriel confessed.

 

“What made you change your mind about it?”

 

The two now stood in front of the large door bearing the Delta Rune. Toriel turned and forced herself to look Frisk in the sockets. “It is the reason for which I fear that you may never learn your name should you remain here. The world outside the RUINs would normally be hostile toward humans,” her expression briefly soured. “But, seeing your current condition,” she looked him up and down, a sad smile upon her muzzle. “You would be able to fit in, by appearance.”

 

Frisk gaped at her. “Is there anything else I should know?”

 

Toriel’s eyes widened, remembering something. “Oh! I have a… friend, on the outside. I… asked him to watch over any human to come through these doors, but since you appear like a Monster, he wouldn’t need to. But don’t hesitate to ask him about anything. He sounds to be quite intelligent, after all.

 

Frisk made a grin that he hoped wouldn’t look too strained. “G-great,” he replied, anxiety creeping into his voice. “Can I go back upstairs for a sec? To get some th-things?”

 

Toriel appeared to not notice his nervousness, nodding. “Of course, my child. You may leave when you’re ready.”

 

“Right,” Frisk said, turning around. “Be back in a second.

 

If he was going to confront Sans after last timeline, he’ll need to come prepared.

 

* * *

  
  


Frisk waved back to Toriel as he left through the large doors, pulling a green hoodie with blue stripes over himself. Sliding the slice of pie into a pocket of it, he grinned lightly, patting it, as he walked down the corridor.

 

Flowey was waiting for Frisk in the end room, expression slightly irritated but also slightly impressed. “Wow. You managed to get the goat to let you past. Without telling me first.”

 

Frisk held up his hands defensively. “Whoa, it isn’t my fault. She showed me to the door without my prompting.”

 

“Right. Now, did you bring the pot? Because there’s no way I’m going through the cold ground of Snowdin when there’s a much safer way for me to navigate.”

 

Frisk lifted a brow bone. “No? I figured that, once I could leave the RUINs, you’d rather be elsewhere. ‘Cause you  _ do _ know that this part of the Underground contains a lot of Sans, right?”

 

The flower’s expression shifted into realization (tinged with nervousness, perhaps?). “Oh, right,” he gave a nervous chuckle. “Well… at least you got a taste of what Smiley Trashbag is capable last timeline, so you know what he’s like,” he looked around nervously.

 

“Flowey,” Frisk deadpanned.

 

“Wh-what?”

 

Frisk crouched down in front of Flowey, staring him socket-to-eye. “It’s time to face the music. Would you rather see  _ me _ , of all people, confront him myself when you couldn’t bring yourself to?”

 

Flowey’s form slightly quivered, him looking around as he was having a conflict within himself on whether or not to take the bait. A minute passed before he gave an exaggerated sigh. “Fiiiiine. I’ll go with you,” he said, then mumbled “Someone has to keep you from being an idiot.”

 

Flowey grew thin vines, wrapping them around Frisk’s left arm before uprooting himself, getting as snug to his arm. “You’re lucky I’m ambidextrous,” Frisk muttered, before leaving through the final doorway, the light of the snow beyond them blindingly bright.

  
  
  


==========================================================

 

Determination Mono

 

By Silencium1

 

==========================================================

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you don't like how quickly I left the RUINs, I just REALLY wanted to get to the rest of the Underground (Along with running out of ideas to do here). Pacing such things well isn't easy, considering I feel like I have only two (exaggerating, obviously) settings; single sentences, and 'the heat death takes less time than this'
> 
> Other than that, any feedback is appreciated!


	7. Meeting New (Old?) Pals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk meets Sans and Papyrus for the first time in this timeline

The doors closed behind Frisk, sending a resounding slam throughout the cavern. He cringed at the noise, but released tension within a few seconds. A moment later, Frisk remembered something, looking to the left and facepalming himself. “Darn it, Alphys’ camera! What would she think of a new ‘Monster’ just walking out of the RUINs?” He mumbled. He paused, looking at the flower on his arm. “With a sentient flower on the arm?”

 

Flowey rolled his eyes as best as he could, considering how much his makeshift teeth were chattering. “I literally couldn’t care less, even with my repertoire of RESETs under my belt,” he looked at Frisk’s sleeved arm. “An even bigger question would be ‘why in the world did you bring a hoodie of all things’? You’re a freaking skeleton!”

 

Frisk paused at that; now that he thought about it, he didn’t even  _ feel  _ that his bones were cold. He felt that the air around him was as cold as it has always been, but it didn’t bother him like before. “Because…” he rooted around his mind for an answer. “Because it would potentially throw anyone off of what I am for a while,” his thoughts ground to a halt. “Wait, I first meet Sans in this area.”

 

Flowey’s expression became slightly nervous. Like most emotions he showed, they were approximations of what one would expect how one would react. Knowing his past timeline, Frisk knew that there would be more incentive to be realistic. “R-right. Must’ve slipped my mind, heheh,” he gulped. Quickly, he said “Can I hide in your shirt?”

 

“Wha-” the skeleton began to ask confusedly, but the flower quickly climbed up his arm… and into the head hole?

 

“That was a rhetorical question,” the flower replied, making sure to be high enough to peek over the clavicle. “And I don’t care if this feels awkward or uncomfortable for you! It’s a lot warmer than being  _ on _ your sleeve.”

 

Frisk began walking forward. “It’s neither. Just kind of… weird.”

 

Flowey laughed. “Good. I wouldn’t be your BEST FRIEND Flowey if I didn’t take that into consideration!” he said, but then quickly added, in a hushed tone “Don’t think this means you can’t get away with doing any sappy crap with me, just because I remember.”

 

Frisk smirked as he heard the heavy stick break. “At least you’re not trying to kill me this time, so I could do something like yell your old name to the rest of the Underground.”

 

“Do that, and I  _ will _ break every rib I could,” Flowey hissed, increasing pressure around each rib. Frisk, however, could tell that it was only half-hearted.

 

Frisk chuckled as they approached the bridge, stopping at it as the ‘script’ demanded. “You know I’d never do that.”

 

Slow but loud steps came from behind them, crunching increasing until they stopped right behind him. Frisk was glad he had pulled up his hood, dipping his head low.

 

“heya kiddo,” Sans said. “we need to talk.” Frisk didn’t know how it was possible, but when he spoke, he actually  _ saw _ what the skeleton said, in a little text box at the bottom center of his vision. It didn’t happen whenever anyone else talked.

 

Frisk turned around, keeping his head low, before he looked up to look the lazybones in the sockets. The expression the skeleton held in his sockets was that of seriousness, but that quickly left. Instead, it was replaced with first confusion, then one that could only be defined as ‘found the wrong one’.

 

“ah, crap,” Frisk heard Sans mutter.

 

* * *

  
  


To say Sans wasn’t expecting this would be a massive understatement.

 

For the past week, he was gathering up the meager amount of courage he had to talk with Toriel (the door lady, he reminded himself. In this timeline, he knows he shouldn’t know Toriel’s name at this point in the timeline) to make sure that the… thing, hadn’t killed her. When he heard the door to the RUINs slam shut, he was expecting a human (or something that resembled one) to exit. They were wearing a new hoodie this time, with the hood on, so he couldn’t get a good look on them.

 

Instead, he came across what appeared to be a child skeleton, if the stripes on the hoodie are anything to go by. They were the same height as Frisk, but other than that, there were few similarities.

 

“whoops,” Sans said, putting his hands back into his pockets. “guess i had mistaken you for someone else i knew,” the new skeleton tilted their head, as if wondering. “got a name, kid?”

 

The skeleton only shrugged with their arms slightly raised as if questioning ‘should it matter?’ He couldn’t really tell, though; he had very little experience with understanding the body language of other skeletons in his life, other than Papyrus.

 

“not much of a talker, eh?” Sans queried. The other skeleton nodded with a small shrug. “heheheh, thought so,” A moment passed. “say, i haven’t seen another skeleton outside of my brother and own mirrors,” Sans leaned back, pointing to the path ahead. “and i believe i see him right over there.”

 

The small skeleton wheeled around, sockets widening in what appeared to be alarm. They quickly turned back, something that appeared to be… pleading? In their lightless sockets.

 

Sans chuckled. “no need to be afraid of him. he’s not intimidating once you get to know him. go through the gate-thingy… but don’t worry, it won’t stop anyone,” he ushered them to the clearing that held his sentry station; he couldn’t have the lamp  _ not _ be put to use. “quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp.

 

As they hid themselves behind the lamp, Sans could swear he heard a small groan. However, he could not focus on that before Papyrus stomped into the clearing. “SANS!” he shouted.

 

“sup, bro?” Sans said, easily sliding into his routine.

 

“HAVE YOU FOUND A HUMAN YET?” a tiny gasp was heard from the lamp.

 

“nope,” Sans said, as honestly as he could.

 

“ARE YOU STARING AT THAT DARNED LAMP AGAIN?” his brow bone twitched.

 

“yup. still as  _ cool _ as the day i put it there, considering all the snow here,” Sans replied. A rimshot played in the distance.

 

Papyrus turned away, stomping his boots on the ground angrily. “SANS, YOU LAZYBONES! WHY DON’T YOU DO SOMETHING MORE PRODUCTIVE, LIKE RECALIBRATING. YOUR. PUZZLES?! IT’S BEEN AN ENTIRE FORTNIGHT SINCE YOU LAST CHECKED ON THEM.”

 

Sans held a hand to his chest in mock offense. “you think i wouldn’t do puzzles? you  _ snow _ me better than that.”

 

Another rimshot sounded, but if Sans’ hearing wasn’t deceiving him, he could hear a barely audible groaning with the sound of something soft hitting something hard.

 

“UGH!!!” Papyrus groaned, putting a gloved hand to his skull. “I’LL GO ATTEND TO MY PUZZLES IN THE CONVENIENT EVENT OF A HUMAN ENTERING SNOWDIN. AS FOR YOU, WORK ON YOUR PUZZLES. I WOULD FIND THAT VERY…  _ ICE _ . NYEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!” he left the clearing for a few seconds before returning for a final “HEH!”

 

“ok, you can come out now,” Sans said as soon as Papyrus was out of sight. The small skeleton left from behind the lamp, making a beeline for the east. “actually, hey… hate to bother ya, but can you do me a favor?”

 

The other skeleton turned toward him, fixing gazes. They made a ‘go ahead’ motion with their hands. “i was thinking… my brother’s been kinda bummed out lately. he was really expecting a human to come through any day,” the kid knit together their brow bones. “but it’s been a really long time since he met a fellow skeleton. that, combined with the fact that no one’s been using his puzzles lately. if you do his puzzles as visible as yourself as possible, it might negate the downer.”

 

They tilted their head, as if thinking it over. After a minute, they straightened their neck and gave a single firm nod. “thanks a million. i’ll be up ahead,” and with that, he walked to the west, leaving Frisk to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm wondering if anyone has figured out why I named this fic this way?
> 
> Other than that, in case you haven't noticed, for a while the main POV will occasionally change after every horizontal line break (sometimes in the same section). It will become mostly Frisk POV once Sans and Papyrus figure out who he is.
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!


	8. Meeting (Or Re-Meeting, or Whatever)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk meets Papyrus for the first time (this timeline, at least)

“Coming with you was a big mistake,” Flowey groaned as Frisk left the clearing. “The cold ground is less painful than Smiley Trashbag’s awful jokes.”

 

“Then why’d you come with me?” Frisk asked. “You  _ know _ that Snowdin is full of Sans and jokes.”

 

“I’m allowed to forget things!” Flowey shouted in his defense, huffing in irritation. “Don’t tell me that  _ you _ enjoy those horrible puns.”

 

Frisk chuckled. “Guilty as charged.”

 

“You’re impossible,” the flower grumbled as the skeleton walked into the next room.

 

“SO, AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT OUR MUTUAL FRIEND,” Papyrus was stating as Frisk stopped (there was a text box for Papyrus as well). Papyrus noticed Frisk before turning to Sans, back to Frisk, and sped up, the two eventually spinning in circles.

 

Flowey snickered. “Even after all these times, Papyrus never fails to amuse me.”

 

The brother skeletons turned to Frisk, before turning away. “SANS!! OH MY GOD!! IS THAT… ANOTHER SKELETON!?!?!??!?!”

 

They turned back to the young skeleton. “uhhhh… actually, i think that’s a rock.”

 

“OH,” Papyrus’ expression appeared to fall, turning toward his brother… but it appeared that he found the situation familiar?

 

“hey, what’s that in front of the rock?” Sans said, amusement in his tone. They turned back to Frisk.

 

“OH MY GOD!!!” Papyrus seemed overjoyed, then asked in a loud whisper “(IS… IS THAT ANOTHER SKELETON)?”

 

“(yes).” Sans loudly whispered back to Papyrus, clearly enjoying Papyrus’ excitement.

 

“... ‘AHEM’,” Papyrus loudly cleared his nonexistent throat. “FELLOW SKELETON! YOU MAY PASS THROUGH THIS AREA SAFELY. BUT! BEWARE! I WILL HAVE PUZZLES FOR YOU TO SOLVE! THEY WILL NEED TO BE TESTED IN THE CONVENIENTLY-TIMED EVENT A HUMAN ARRIVES!” Frisk rose a brow at that. “SO! FELLOW SKELETON! CONTINUE ONWARD WHEN YOU ARE READY. THERE IS PUZZLE TESTING THAT IS NEEDED! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!!!” Papyrus shouted before running off.

 

“well, that went well,” Sans told Frisk. “i’ll make sure he doesn’t go overboard. keepin’ an eyesocket on you,” he winked at Frisk, before walking away, disappearing.

 

Flowey sighed in what sounded to be imitated fondness. “This part of any timeline is the only thing worth staying for; Papyrus.”

 

Frisk walked past the cardboard station. “After the last timeline,  _ he’s _ the one who deserves a fan club. Not you. Not me.”

 

“Hey! We’ve done some fan club worthy things,” Flowey said in mock offense.

 

“Other than, you know, attempt genocide,” Frisk muttered under his breath. “You know I’m right.”

 

The soulless plant huffed, refusing to reply, just as they came up to Doggo’s station. The crunching of snow alerted the dog Monster to the duo’s presence. “Did something move? Was it my imagination? I can only see moving things. If something WAS moving… For example, a human… I’ll make sure it NEVER moves again!”

 

“Hiya, Doggo,” Frisk waved at the Monster, swaying slightly to ensure he would be seen by the stillness-blind dog.

 

“Grrr,” Doggo growled in annoyance, waving a sworded hand (paw?). “Keep moving, kid. Not safe out this far from town.”

 

Frisk could swear he could hear Doggo grumble something about ‘not getting enough dog treats for this’ as the dog lowered himself below the counter. “That was… surprisingly successful,” he whispered to Flowey.

 

“Ugh,” Flowey popped his head over Frisk’s collar bones. “That mutt is annoying to talk to; you have to keep swaying yourself so he doesn’t freak out… it’s a wonder how he could even see the images on his poker cards.”

 

The duo passed the spot where Sans would usually give the advice for cyan-colored attacks, even though he wasn’t there at the moment. “Due to my current… appearance, he probably assumes that I already know about the cyan attacks… or I might not need to battle Papyrus at all,” Frisk mused, walking north to the snowman.

 

“Knowing the idiot, he’ll still want to battle you, regardless of what you are,” Flowey said, pausing before giving a scoff. “Wait- you’ve been on the Surface, living alongside Monsters for three years… and you’ve never seen two Monsters be in an encounter with one another all that time? Monsters do that  _ casually _ as well, you idiot! Not just for taking your SOUL.”

 

Frisk grabbed a piece of the snowman as per request (the snow didn’t even sting!) before replying to the flower. “Well, I was never around for any encounters between Monsters… at least, the ones you know that I usually hung around with,” Frisk tilted his head, putting a hand to his chin. “Wait, yes I was. Papyrus and Undyne’s sparring. Never mind.”

 

Flowey sighed in exasperation. “That was training to  _ fight _ , moron! I doubt you’ve ever witnessed a true SOUL-to-... You know what? You’ll figure it out soon enough,” he ducked behind the shirt.

 

The young skeleton stopped before the invisible electricity maze, the skelebros (well, Papyrus) bickering. “YOU’RE SO LAZY!! YOU WERE SLEEPING ALL NIGHT!!”

 

“i prefer calling it a ‘night-long’ nap,” Sans replied. “It’s like sleeping, but with all of the benefits of napping.”

 

“THAT’S THE SAME THING!” Papyrus said, before noticing Frisk from across the puzzle. “OH- HO! THE TESTER ARRIVES!” Papyrus cleared his throat. “IN ORDER TO PASS, YOU WILL NEED TO FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THIS DASTARDLY MAZE! BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY MAZE…” A drumroll played.

 

“It’s an invisible electric maze?” Frisk questioned, raising his hands.

 

Sans looked at Frisk with slight surprise (and maybe a little suspicion), while Papyrus’ sockets almost literally sparkled with enthusiasm. “CORRECT, FELLOW SKELETON! BUT I DO CAUTION YOU; IF YOU MAKE ONE WRONG STEP, YOU’LL GET A HEARTY ZAP (NOT THAT WE HAVE A LITERAL HEART, THOUGH). STEP FORWARD WHEN YOU ARE READY!”

 

Frisk raised a foot, but before he could take another step, Sans spoke up. “hey, bro. isn’t the tester supposed to hold the orb?”

 

Papyrus put a gloved hand to his skull. “OH MY GOD, SANS… YOU JUST REMINDED ME!” He raised an arm, throwing the orb so that it somehow perfectly landed on the former human’s head without so much as causing pain. “THERE! YOU CAN NOW PROCEED THROUGH THE MAZE!”

 

“If you get yourself shocked, I’m throwing pellets at you,” Flowey threatened.

 

Frisk nodded just barely, swallowing as best as he could. Loosening the tension in his joints a bit, he carefully made his way through the maze, roughly remembering where the path was. In no time, he stood in front of Papyrus, smiling.

 

“YOU SLIPPERY SNAIL! YOU SOLVED IT EASILY!!!” a tiny bit of suspicion crept into his tone. “TOO EASILY… HOWEVER!! THE NEXT ONE WON’T BE SO EASY! IT WAS DESIGNED BY SANS! IT WILL CONFUSE YOU! ITS METHOD HAS CONFUSED ME MULTIPLE TIMES, I KNOW! NYEH HEH HEH!” he ran off.

 

“solved it a little too easily for a beginner,” Sans noted, getting Frisk’s attention that way. “almost as if you had done it before.”

 

Frisk could feel a small bit of condensation on his bones. “I’m… just puzzle savvy, that’s all.”

 

Sans looked at him for a few seconds, but shrugged, closing his eyes. “guess it’s not in my place to question where you got your skills,” he waved Frisk along. “move along. see ya up ahead.”

 

“I hate that Trashbag!” Flowey loudly whispered once they left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus is the one who deserves a fan club. Change my mind, I dare you.
> 
> Other than that, any feedback is appreciated!


	9. Puzzling Puzzles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk continues his 'puzzling' journey through Snowdin

Frisk walked up to the Nice Cream bunny. “Hey, Flowey, what flavor of Nice Cream would you like?” he quietly asked the flower.

 

“I don’t want any stupid ice cream,” Flowey hissed. “I don’t even have a real tongue! Besides, how would  _ you _ eat it? You’re a friggin skeleton.”

 

Frisk shrugged. “Determination? I’d like to cheer him up for a bit.”

 

“Neither of us even know if you could hold as much Determination as when you were still human,” Flowey muttered low enough for only Frisk to hear.

 

Frisk thanked the blue bunny Monster, walking away before replying to Flowey. “We’ll just have to wait until I get to Alphys, then.”

 

The soulless flower snorted. “Yeah, that’ll be fun. Tell the depressed otaku that you might have abnormally high amounts of a substance that only she knows exists. That’ll go nicely.”

 

Frisk shrugged once again. “You just don’t have as much faith in her as I do, I guess.”

 

Flowey rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, ‘cause you believe in others and all. But I’ve got to tell you; any time I did anything bad with her… well, you’ve heard the dystopia this place becomes when Mettaton becomes king, and Alphys’ likely fate,” Frisk cringed at the memory. “Exactly.”

 

“Even then, she would probably know the most about such things,” Frisk glanced around, wanting to change the subject. His line of sight stopped at the Ball course. “Have you ever passed Ball with a red flag before?”

 

“Ugh,” Flowey groaned, throwing his head back. “I HATE that blasted game! And yes, remember: ‘I’ve won every game, and I’ve lost every game’. Apparently, the ‘losing’ of it involves using bullets while it’s being used. Even a single friendliness pellet that does literally nothing warrants a white flag, essentially forfeiting your place,” Flowey fumed, looking grumpy. “Why are you laughing?”

 

Frisk settled down his slight laughter. “Because, on the Surface, the white flag is a symbol of surrendering.”

 

“You mean that, by using magic, I was essentially surrendering my score?” Flowey asked. Frisk nodded. “UGH! I hate it when such meanings coincide!”

 

Frisk chuckled as he walked into the next room, stopping before the two skeleton Monsters. “FELLOW SKELETON! I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR…” Papyrus began, but then noticed the lack of anything meaningful in the area. “SANS! WHERE’S THE PUZZLE?! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE TESTING PUZZLES.”

 

“it’s right there. on the ground,” Sans said, tilting his head in the direction of the paper on the ground. “trust me, this would trip up any potential humans to come through here.”

 

The young skeleton walked over to the piece of paper in the snow… only to find that it was a crossword instead of the usual word search. He picked it up, walking over to the brothers, quirking a bony brow. “SANS!!! THAT DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”

 

Sans shrugged. “guess i should’ve used the word search from last week instead.”

 

“OH MY GOD!” Papyrus shouted. “IN MY OPINION, JUNIOR JUMBLE WOULD’VE BEEN A MUCH BETTER CHOICE AGAINST POTENTIAL HUMANS.”

 

“junior jumble? nah, that’s for babybones,” Sans remarked, chuckling. “just ask the kid over there.”

 

“UN. BELIEVABLE,” Papyrus stated. “THEY’RE CLEARLY TOO OLD FOR PLAID, BUT STILL YOUNG ENOUGH FOR STRIPES,” he turned toward Frisk. “FRIEND! SOLVE THIS CONUNDRUM; WHICH IS HARDER, WORD SEARCHES OR JUMBLES?”

 

Frisk tilted his head, before pointing at Papyrus. “HA! HA! YES! THE QUIET STRIPED ONE MUST BE INTELLIGENT! TO FIND JUMBLES DIFFICULT AS THEY TRULY ARE! NYEH! HEH! HEH HEH!” The tall skeleton ran to the next area.

 

Frisk walked up to Sans, a questioning expression on his skull. “what can i say, kid? at least he stopped trying to ‘solve’ the horoscope in awhile. just glad you’re not judging him or anything.”

 

The former human nodded, walking onward.

 

* * *

  
  


Frisk just entered the room with the first ‘x and o’ puzzle, not bothering with the sign. Stepping on the x’s, he proceeded to turn them into o’s and stepped on the button. “GOOD! I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD SOLVE THE PUZZLE QUICKLY! I BELIEVED IN YOU!” Frisk could feel Flowey cringe. “BUT ONTO ANOTHER IMPORTANT MATTER: DID YOU LEAVE ANY FOR ME???”

 

“Y-yes,” Frisk answered aloud. Truthfully, he did have some of it, figuring that Papyrus remembered to reheat it first. Another thing was that, this time, it was palatable. Frisk wondered if Papyrus’ cooking lessons with Toriel persisted through the RESETs.

 

“WOWIE… YOU LEFT SOME FOR ME… EVEN WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE WANTED MORE OF IT?” Papyrus seemed ecstatic. “AHEM! FRIEND! ONCE WE GET TO SNOWDIN, I’LL COOK YOU A WHOLE BATCH OF SPAGHETTI FOR YOU! THE MOST SCRUMPTIOUS BUNCH YOU COULD EVER WISH FOR! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH NYEH!” he said, running off.

 

“Why do you refuse to talk in front of the Trashbag?” Flowey asked, briefly peeking up from over Frisk’s collar.

 

“Because he all but showed us that he remembers last timeline,” Frisk replied. “I’m unsure about Papyrus, though.”

 

“Oh puh-lease,” Flowey scoffed. “Trust me, Papyrus knows more than he lets on. I’m sure he has even bigger secrets than his brother.

 

When the two entered the next room, Papyrus was off to the side, looking suddenly, and uncharacteristically, nervous. “NOW, WITHOUT ANY NOSY BROTHERS TO INTERRUPT, I’VE GOT A FEW THINGS TO ASK YOU BEFORE WE COMMENCE WITH PUZZLES. IF YOU DON’T MIND, THAT IS!”

 

Frisk nodded slowly. “Okay, ask away…?”

 

Papyrus fidgeted with his gloved hands, looking at them nervously. “I’VE BEEN WONDERING… FELLOW SKELETON, DID YOU COME FROM THE RUINS?”

 

“Yes?” Frisk said, unsure if he liked where this conversation was heading.

 

The taller skeleton looked around nervously. “I KNEW IT. BUT I’VE GOT TO ASK YOU… DID YOU SEE ANY HUMANS DURING YOUR TIME THERE? ANY IN A BLUE SHIRT?” Frisk’s metaphorical heart stopped. “YOU SOUND JUST LIKE THEM. I AM JUST SO WORRIED ABOUT THEM… THEY’D HAVE LEFT BY NOW, WOULDN’T HAVE THEY?”

 

“N-no,” Frisk choked out. “No, I did not see any humans while in the RUINs,” he stated. Papyrus looked disappointed, so he tried to reassure the skeleton, somehow. “But I’m sure that, wherever they are, they still care about you,” Frisk put a hand onto Papyrus’ shoulder.

 

Papyrus nodded, making a loud sniff and wiping at his eyes, before straightening himself out. “YOU’RE RIGHT. IF THEY’RE HIDING, THEN THEY’RE BOUND TO LEAVE THE RUINS SOMETIME! NYEH HEH HEH!” Papyrus put a gloved hand to his chestplate, smiling. “NOW, LET US DISPEL THESE SAD EMOTIONS, FOR WE SHALL CONTINUE WITH OUR PUZZLING! PUZZLES!”

 

The two skeletons spent the next several minutes working on the next puzzle (couldn’t do it too fast, because Sans was just on the other side of the spikes). At one point, Frisk pretended to be looking at the puzzle from another angle… so that he would conveniently see the lever under the tree, before pulling it, completing the puzzle.

 

Frisk marched across the spike holes, but Sans beckoned him toward him. “hey, kiddo, i just got a question for ya.” Frisk complied, walking right up to Sans. He moved his hands to signal ‘start’. “i just gotta ask ya something… what did you and papyrus talk about? he could be quiet to any outside listeners when he wants to be, but it sounded like you were talking. it wasn’t clear, but you were obviously talking.”

 

Frisk shook his head, then shrugged with raised arms.

 

“guess you don’t want to talk about it? that’s fair, everyone’s got their secrets, so i guess i shouldn’t butt into yours,” he closed his eyes, waving Frisk along.

 

“move along, it’s not every day papyrus has this opportunity for puzzles. i would hate to ruin the fun for something so important to him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, of the few timelines Frisk did before the True Pacifist was King Mettaton. Don't ask me why
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!


	10. Skeletons are Puzzling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk finishes the final stretch of Snowdin

Frisk entered the next puzzle room, knowing which one laid in wait for him. Looking forward, he grinned at Papyrus. “HEY! IT’S THE NEW SKELETON! YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THIS PUZZLE!” Papyrus exclaimed, clearing his throat. “IT WAS MADE BY THE GREAT DR. ALPHYS. WHEN I THROW THIS SWITCH… THESE TILES WILL SWITCH INTO A RANDOM COLOR. EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT FUNCTION…”

 

“This is going to take too long,” Flowey grumbled. “Make it look like you’re scratching your back, so I could climb out your sleeve.”

 

Frisk felt like he knew what Flowey was planning, but complied, reaching to his spine. Flowey, as what he said, untangling himself from Frisk and slithering through the sleeve. Once his head was out, he let go of the sleeve, dropping into the snow with a shiver and disappearing under.

 

Sans appeared to notice, sockets slightly widening in alarm, but quickly returning to normal. Papyrus was still going through his descriptions when Frisk noticed vines reach for the dials, twisting and turning them before pulling the switch, disappearing once again.

 

Papyrus quickly looked at the tile puzzle frantically. “NO! TILE PUZZLE, STOP! I DEMAND FOR YOU TO PAUSE YOUR COLORING UNTIL I SAY YOU CAN!” The puzzle, being an inanimate object, didn’t respond.

 

Frisk gazed at the machine, watching smoke begin to rise from it and sparks flying. Lifting a hand, he pointed in its direction. Papyrus focused on it, widening in alarm before squinting in annoyance.

 

“whoops,” Sans said, shrugging as the puzzle turned to grayscale in malfunction. “looks like you wouldn’t get to try out the puzzle.”

 

“OH WELL,” Papyrus said, stuffing the instructions into a pocket… somehow. He turned to Sans. “AT LEAST IT WAS ONLY A REPLICA OF METTATON’S BODY. IT CAN ALWAYS GET REPAIRED,” he said, walking off.

 

Frisk walked across the malfunctioned puzzle, walking up to Sans. “i saw your little… buddy crawl from your sleeve just a minute ago, before the puzzle malfunctioned,” he sighed, the younger skeleton lightly inhaling. “i dunno what the weed, or you, would want. but hey,” he closed his eyes and shrugged. “as far as i’m concerned, we only just met.”

 

Frisk nodded slowly, walking into the area where Lesser Dog’s snowdogs would be. He could only get in a few steps before Flowey popped back up in the middle of Frisk’s path. “Frisk,” he stated, looking up at the skeleton.

 

“Flowey,” Frisk deadpanned as an answer.

 

“I’m gonna go on my own for a while,” Flowey said, looking downward a bit.

 

“Oh. Why?”

 

“Because I don’t think I’ll be able to deal with Smiley Trashbag for any longer than I need to,” the flower’s eyes turned slightly shifty. “There are also some things that I will need to do. Without you.”

 

“Any other reason?” Frisk raised a brow bone. “It sounds like you have another reason to be leaving me.”

 

“Oh, right,” Flowey said. In truth, that was just how his tone was sounding at the moment. Thinking of something else to cover that small blunder, he quickly said “Also: you aren’t warm at all!”

 

“That’s your reason?” Frisk asked, voice rather deadpan.

 

“Y-yes! Ever since you became a skeleton, you seem to have lost your ability to produce any heat!” The flower explained. “Chara and I shared beds a few times, so I know for a fact that all humans should be able to produce lots of body heat. Tsk-tsk,” he shook his head mockingly. “And your jacket and shirt don’t do much to block any wind, so it blows away all heat.”

 

“And?”

 

“So just skedaddle on for a while! I’ve got things to do!” Flowey hurriedly screeched. Before Frisk could get in a reply, the flower ducked beneath the dirt.

 

Pondering over what Flowey had just said, walking past Lesser Dog, who was patting down snow for a snowdog. He was acting slightly strange… but then again, this was Flowey the Flower he was talking about, so he was probably planning on doing something. Whether it would be good or bad for him, only time would tell.

 

* * *

  
  


“WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? THIS WAS A DECISIVE DECISION ON THE PART OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” Papyrus stated after deactivating the Gauntlet of Deadly Terror™ “NYEH! HEH!! … HEH???” he shouted, before  leaving the scene.

 

Sans watched as the skelekid crossed the remainder of the bridge, going straight for him. They looked up at him, as if expecting him to say something. “i don’t know what my brother will do now,” he said. The kid only tilted their head in response. “knowing him, he’ll just want a friendly duel between the two of you. you should better hope that you remember attack types from school… if there are any schools open in the ruins,” they straightened their head, nodding with a thumbs-up.

 

Sans prepared to take a shortcut as the kid walked off, but the sound of crunching snow came from just in front of his slippers. “Smiley Trashbag,” a high, squeaky voice came from the direction.

 

Sans cast his gaze downward, to see a very familiar golden-colored flower looking up at him. In an uncharacteristic lack of wasting time, he reached down and grabbed the flower by the stem. It appeared to have anticipated for this, considering that its stem didn’t tear from the roots. “what do you want, weed?”

 

It only giggled. “Oh, nothing much. I was just checking up on the world’s biggest lazybones, that’s all.”

 

“ _ cut _ to the chase. i watched you crawl out of the kid’s sleeve. you’re never up to anything good,” Sans growled.

 

“Heeheehee, golly! I never thought you’d be so persistent in a non-genocide timeline,” it mocked. “Alrighty! As you said, let’s get to the point,” its face turned dark and fanged. “You remember the previous timelines, don’t you?”

 

“yes, what of it?” Sans admitted. Normally, he wouldn’t be so open with such information. But considering his current company and circumstances, he knew it was pointless trying to cover that fact up.

 

“Well, I know what happened to Frisk. And gee golly, you wouldn’t like to know what happened to them!” the flower cackled.

 

Sans’ marrow turned cold, making a lightless glare at the flower before him. If this weed remembered the name of the once ‘True Pacifist’ (known to him as a murderer, now), then it could have potentially important information. “what. happened?”

 

“Well, of the previous timeline, once they turned you into a useless pile of dust, they went for Asgore, killing the old fool in one hit,” it stated, almost gleefully. “They then advanced on little old me, slicing me to pieces.”

 

“good riddance,” Sans grumbled. “but that wasn’t what i was looking for.”

 

“Next thing I knew, I was alive! But still very, very terrified,” the flower stated.

 

“and what of the brat?”

 

“Frisk walked in a few minutes later, but they looked sick. I even tried killing them. The old goat chased me off. And the next time I saw them…” the weed chuckled. “Well, I’ve wasted enough of your time. Shouldn’t you be watching your brother’s fight?”

 

“we aren’t finished yet,” Sans growled, pulling the flower closer to his face.

 

It sighed. “Knew you were going to say that. But ol’ Flowey’s always got a backup!”

 

The short skeleton wondered what it meant, before several stinging sensations hit the back of his skull. By instinct he dropped the flower, turning to see several seed-shaped bullets speeding toward him.

 

“See ya, Trashbag!” the flower shouted, unsummoning the bullets as it burrowed into the ground.

 

Grumbling slightly, Sans rubbed where the bullets hit him, briefly checking his stats. He was relieved to see that only one-tenth of his single health point. Admittedly, the meddling weed didn’t seem interested in fighting (or killing, for that matter). It only wanted him to let go.

 

Regaining his composure first, Sans stepped forward into a shortcut, directly to the near-perpetual snowstorm that inhabited Papyrus’ fighting.

 

The two younger skeletons were in an intense battle, appearing to be chatting. The smaller of the two seemed impatient, refusing to send bones as well, but he paid no attention to the dialogue boxes between the two.

 

However, he could not block out the shouting of the younger skeleton’s next sentence.

 

“I was-  _ am _ , the human who fell down and helped free everyone!”

 

Time seemed to freeze for Sans.

 

That voice was, unmistakably, Frisk’s.

 

Flowey popped up next to him, a smug expression on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is appreciated!


	11. Three Skeletons Walk into a House...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk explains his situation to the skeleton brothers

Frisk breathed heavily as the battle abruptly ended. Papyrus stood across from him, the small fog that usually happened here lifting. He always wondered why it would occur until the end, but now was not the time for such wondering.

 

“...FRISK?” Papyrus asked, voice filled with hope… tinged with a tiny amount of fear. Frisk took a steadying breath, nodding.

 

Silence surrounded the two, accompanied only by the occasional sounds of wind moving the branches of the nearby trees. “I’m guessing that you weren’t expecting me to be like this after the RESET, but here I am. As a skeleton.”

 

Frisk looked down a bit, unsure about what else to say, when he felt bony arms pick him up. Looking back up, he was looking Papyrus right in the sockets. “IT REALLY  _ IS _ YOU!” the tall skeleton exclaimed. “NO ONE ELSE WOULD SO CASUALLY MENTION TIMELINE THINGIES SUCH AS ‘RESET’ WITHOUT THE PRESENT PARTIES PRESENT HAVING AT LEAST SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THAT STUFF!”

 

Frisk blinked once. “Papyrus… I killed you last timeline.”

 

Papyrus froze, looking around nervously. “YES… I AM QUITE AWARE. BUT! YOU SHOULD NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT BEING ATTACKED BY SANS, SHOULD HE FIND OUT.”

 

A flash of cyan light alerted the two. “i, uh, was kinda listenin’ in on your battle,” Sans said, walking into view.

 

If Frisk could, he felt like he would’ve gone pale, sockets widening as if caught with a hand in the cookie jar. “S-Sans,” he stammered out, nervous.

 

Sans looked over him with what he assumed to be calculated indifference. “don’t worry, dir- kid. i may have some bones to pick with you, but i kinda have my hands tied behind my back.”

 

Papyrus gave a loud sigh. “I HAD TO MAKE SANS PROMISE ME TO NOT ATTACK YOU ONCE YOU LEFT THE RUINS,” he frowned. “THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE NOT TURNED OUT EXACTLY LIKE HOW I PLANNED IT TO GO.”

 

“What with becoming a skeleton and whatnot,” Frisk mumbled, tilting his head.

 

Sans looked Frisk straight in the eye socket. “you’ve got quite a bit of explaining to do,  _ buddy _ .”

 

Papyrus looked around. “UM, SANS? I DON’T THINK THAT SUCH A CONVERSATION SHOULD TAKE PLACE OUT HERE, IN THE COLD.”

 

Sans rose a brow bone. “so? we’re skeletons. the cold doesn’t do anything to us.”

 

“I KNOW, BUT IS THE ONCE-HUMAN STILL AFFECTED BY THE COLD?” Papyrus asked, looking at Frisk up and down. “I MEAN, THEY WALKED OUT WEARING A HOODIE, PREPARED FOR THE COLD.”

 

“Actually, I don’t feel the effects of cold either, as well,” Frisk shrugged. “I was just unsure on if I’d still be affected by it,” he eyed Sans. “Anyways,  _ you’re _ also wearing a jacket.

 

“OH,” Papyrus stated, looking slightly embarrassed. “WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE’RE STILL GOING BACK HOME, AND I WON’T TAKE ANY ‘NO’S’ FOR AN ANSWER. BECAUSE NONE OF US HAVE ANY! NYEH HEH HEH!” Papyrus tucked the former human under his arm like he was a mere duffel bag, and sped off to their house.

 

* * *

  
  


The trio of skeletons entered the house (Sans having obviously used a shortcut). Once inside, Papyrus set Frisk down as gently as he could. “THERE. HERE WE ARE! WE CAN NOW TALK ABOUT IN THE PRIVACY OF OUR OWN HOME.”

 

Frisk walked over to the couch, plopping himself onto it. “Come on, let’s just get it over with,” he grumbled.

 

“why’d you do it?” Sans asked.

 

“SANS! YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE SO BLUNT ABOUT IT,” Papyrus stated, looking at his brother.

 

“Depends on what the ‘it’ is,” Frisk replied, crossing his arms. “Why did I do the RESET, or the previous timeline?”

 

“let’s go with the reset,” Sans stated, giving the young skeleton a glare.

 

Before Frisk could reply, they were interrupted by the sound of what seemed to be small rocks on the window… or pellets. He turned around, looking out of the window.

 

Flowey the Flower was a couple of feet away from the window.

 

Papyrus quickly unlatched and opened the window, looking out as well. “FLOWEY! I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU IN QUITE SOME TIME! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE?”

 

“Your useless brother left me out there when you guys left!” Flowey spat, shivering despite being a plant.

 

“woops,” Sans shrugged, obviously not feeling sorry about it.

 

Papyrus gave Sans a stern look before turning back to Flowey. “I’M SORRY FOR WHAT MY BROTHER HAS DONE. BUT CAN YOU COME BACK IN A LITTLE BIT? WE HAVE SOMETHING TO DISCUSS WITH A… VISITOR.”

 

“Oh, you’ll be wanting me here, to help,” Flowey said, smiling.

 

“It’s true,” Frisk spoke up. “Plus… he’s already aware of some of the things I think you’ll be wanting to ask me about.”

 

“OH,” Papyrus stated. “WELL, I’VE GOT A SPARE FLOWER POT IN MY CLOSET. I’LL GO FETCH IT!” he shouted, running off to his room. In under ten seconds, he came back, swiftly scooping up the soulless flower into the pot. “THERE!” he turned back to Frisk after closing the window again. “NOW, CONTINUE WITH WHAT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY.”

 

Frisk sighed, putting a bony hand over his sockets. “I was kind of… convinced into the RESET. By Chara.”

 

“chara? the long-dead sibling of the prince? the first human?” Sans deadpanned, heavy doubt in his tone.

 

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” Frisk said, crossing his arms once again. “I believe there was something else that helped.”

 

“Oh?” Flowey asked, intrigued by this new piece of information. “You didn’t tell me back in the RUINs.”

 

“I didn’t think about it much then, but the more I remembered, the more it became clear,” Frisk rubbed his arm nervously. “That kinda also answers the question about the previous timeline.”

 

“Which controlled you more, Chara or this… thing?” Flowey questioned, leaning forward.

 

“Mostly the thing for the RESET, mostly Chara for previous timeline. Ugh,” Frisk grumbled. “Just… ask something else.”

 

“HOW DID YOU TURN INTO A SKELETON?” Papyrus asked, looking slightly eager to find out.

 

Frisk chuckled darkly. “Well, before the ‘how’, I have to say the ‘when’, because it’s unique even in my case.”

 

“Yeah, I want to know when as well!” Flowey shouted, sounding slightly excited.

 

“Well, after you… died,” the once-human glanced at Flowey. “Chara appeared before me, gave a speech- they had no idea what they were talking about by the way- and erased the world,” he could hear Sans’ eyelights extinguish, Papyrus looking shocked. “They said in the remaining void that the only way they’ll bring the world back was if I gave them my SOUL.”

 

“ _ d o   n o t   t e l l   m e t h a t   y o u s o l d   t h e m y o u r   s o u l _ ,” Sans stated darkly, almost visibly glaring with dark sockets.

 

“They’ve still got their SOUL,” Flowey sharply said. “I saw it slowly progress upside down, like a Monster SOUL. Besides,” he looked to the side. “They do show more emotion than I do.”

 

Frisk nodded. “I agreed to the deal, but something happened as it was processing.”

 

“like what?” Sans asked, lights returning, but retaining some darkness in his tone.

 

“It felt like something tampered with the deal, within my SOUL, but after it happened, the RESET went through,” Frisk put a finger to his chin. “It said something about a second chance, and that this timeline will be more difficult. It even told me to stay determined.”

 

Sans closed his sockets, looking contemplative. “okay, okay. assuming you are telling the truth-” “SANS!” “there’s one more question i’ve got for now.”

 

“What is it?” Frisk asked, getting tired of the questioning.

 

Sans opened his sockets, lights barely visible. “who died?”

 

“No one died back there!” Flowey shouted, becoming annoyed. “The fact that their LOVE hasn’t raised should prove it!”

 

“really?” the short skeleton asked, sounding skeptical. “how come your Level Of ViolencE is at five, then?”

 

Frisk’s sockets widened in surprise, then he pressed his hands over them in realization. “I should’ve known!” he sighed. “When I woke up at the beginning of this timeline, I also had the knife and locket. It must be leftovers from last timeline.”

 

“that’s not what i was asking.”

 

The young skeleton huffed. “Toriel told me about the process about how I became this. Apparently, I’m the only one she’s ever seen that has ever happened while alive.”

 

“However the heck you know about deaths in a timeline, it’s not what’s important about this,” Flowey said, though sounding slightly interested about it. “The thing that should matter right now is that neither of you are piles of dust right now.”

 

“FLOWEY’S RIGHT, SANS,” Papyrus said, looking toward his brother. “IN THE END, THEY DO NOT INTEND TO DO EITHER OF US ANY HARM, RIGHT?” Sans nodded slowly, stiff. “EVEN WITH THEIR HEIGHTENED LOVE, I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE IN THEM! ...SORRY,” Papyrus said, as he watched the other three cringe in memory.

 

“Thanks,” Frisk said, smiling.

 

“NO PROBLEM,” the enthusiastic skeleton grinned widely. He then put a gloved hand to his chin. “HMM… YOU’RE GOING TO NEED A PLACE TO STAY FOR A WHILE, UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PROCEED.”

 

“papyrus-” Sans began, sounding nervous with a bead of sweat beginning to roll down his skull.

 

“SANS,” Papyrus gave Sans a look, before continuing with what he was saying. “I SUGGEST THAT YOU STAY HERE. THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS NOTHING, IF NOT, AN EQUALLY GREAT HOST.

 

“UNTIL WE TALK AGAIN, YOU SHOULD WASH UP! IT’S A NICE WAY TO SOOTHE ONESELF!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing that did the final push for the RESET...
> 
> That was me >:D
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!


	12. Can You Really Call This A Hot Shower, I Didn't Receive A Towel On My Rack Or Anything

Frisk closed the bathroom door (or would it be ‘washroom’ in this case?) behind himself, letting out a breath he did not know he was holding. How had he missed this room of the house before, much less the door of it? Of course, he was kind of rushing through the Underground, but he didn’t take  _ that _ little time to inspect.

 

Shaking his head, Frisk pushed himself away from the door, examining the small room he was in; a simple bathtub across from the door, and a (thankfully normal-sized) sink, with a mirror. Looking down, he idly noticed that the tiles were a checkerboard of tiny black and white tiles. And, if his mind wasn’t deceiving him, some of the tiles were colored in, giving the impression that he was also looking at a cartoonish skull.

 

Sighing, Frisk turned, almost dragging himself in front of the sink, and turned the knob into the ‘on’ position. Letting the cold water run over his hand. Shivering as the cold water ran through the cracks of his boney hands, he was one-hundred percent sure that this was a sensation no human being was meant to experience.

 

Wondering what he was doing at that point, Frisk quickly turned off the water, looking up to the mirror. He wasn’t shocked at what he saw when he looked in the mirror. In fact, despite the fact that he had pointedly avoided the mirror back at Toriel’s, he was actually kind of anxious at seeing what he now looked like. Frisk was just waiting until he could come up with a better justification.

 

Now, he had seen pictures of what a bare human skull had appeared, but in a way, it looked close enough to pass as human. His lower jaw appeared to have melded seamlessly to the rest of his skull, only leaving shallow dimples to ever indicate that the two were separate pieces. One look at his teeth was all that it took for him to realize that most of his molars and premolars melded together to form what could count as cheeks, as well as his front teeth melding into a Sans-esque shape.

 

His eyes, on the other hand, did not look much like a typical human’s. Other than the fact that the sockets were filled with darkness like the other two skeletons, he could not see any dots of light that would act like pupils, like with Sans, the fact he could look around without trouble was beyond him. His sockets also looked less circular than he thought they should be, resembling rectangles with rounded corners.

 

Frisk laughed lightly, putting fingers near his sockets. He always knew he wore a poker face like a champion, but this was kind of exaggerating it. At some point during the three years, he and his friends were goofing around, drawing things. Someone, he doesn’t remember who, suggested making exaggerations of one anothers’ faces, partnering up. He was partnered with Sans, and while Frisk made Sans’ face resemble a potato with a face, Sans took the lazy route, just drawing three lines.

 

Sighing from the fond memories, Frisk unzipped his jacket, putting it on the sink. He tugged at the end of his right sleeve, about to pull off his shirt before remembering something important, giving himself a face palm with a soft  _ clack _ . Walking to the door, Frisk opened it, sticking out his head.

 

Across the room, the young skeleton saw Sans and Papyrus talking to one another, Flowey looking away grumpily. “Ahem,” Frisk said, the two skeletons looking up.

 

“YES, FRISK?” Papyrus replied.

 

“How would I be able to enjoy a shower if I have no new clothing to change into after ward?”

 

“AH, YES,” Papyrus said, stroking his chin. “WELL THEN, I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NECESSARY RE-CLOTHING MATERIAL YOU WILL REQUIRE. FOR WHEN YOU’RE DONE, OF COURSE!” the tall skeleton bounded to Frisk’s right, out of sight. The sound of loud footsteps echoed over Frisk, a door opening.

 

A moment later, the footsteps came back overhead, with Papyrus holding out his arms, hands full with clothing. “HERE YOU GO, ONCE-HUMAN!”

 

“Thanks,” Frisk murmured, taking the clothing.

 

“NO PROBLEM! NYEH HEH HEH!” Papyrus responded, closing the door behind himself, leaving Frisk alone.

 

Frisk sighed, smiling in the mirror. His smile differentiated from Sans’s in the way that it looked more… natural, even for a skeleton. He wasn’t even sure if Sans couldn’t  _ not _ smile. The closest Frisk had ever seen was that shocked smile, from the-

 

Frisk shook his head, wanting to clear those memories from his head for the moment. Sighing once more, he began tugging off his shirt.

 

* * *

  
  


The young skeleton closed the washroom door behind himself quietly, nearly tripping on the long pant legs that he was now using. He gave a small sigh of relief when the clicking of the could hardly be heard.

 

“Well well well,” Flowey said, smirking as Frisk flinched. “Look at who finally walked out of the washroom.”

 

“Ha ha ha,” Frisk replied, looking around the living room. “Where have they gone?”

 

“Hm?” Flowey cocked a brow. “Ah, yes. Just remembered,” he cleared his throat. “They said to meet them in Papyrus’ room when you were done.”

 

“Ok,” Frisk said, turning toward the stairs.

 

“And take me with you!” Flowey shouted.

 

“Why? Are you supposed to be with me when we talk?” Frisk asked, turning back to Flowey.

 

“No, but I don’t want to stay down here while it happens!”

 

“Fine,” Frisk grumbled, picking up Flowey’s pot.

 

The skeleton walked up the stairs, and then opened the door to Papyrus’ room. Inside, Papyrus was pacing across the room, with Sans leaning up against the wall next to the computer. When hearing Frisk enter, Papyrus beamed in the direction of Frisk. “FRISK!”

 

“Yeah?” Frisk replied, shifting Flowey to his other arm.

 

“MY BROTHER AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING…” Papyrus started out, looking unsure on how to proceed.

 

“And?!” Flowey blurted out, clearly not having the patience.

 

“it means you’re gonna be stayin’ here for a while,” Sans muttered, clearly sounding unhappy about it. “in snowdin, i mean.”

 

Frisk nodded slowly. “Okay… And?”

 

“IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE SNOWDIN FOR A WHILE, UNTIL WE FIGURE SOMETHING OUT,” Papyrus stated, sounding simultaneously overjoyed and saddened.

 

Frisk groaned, putting his free hand to his face. “Seriously? Just Snowdin for a few weeks?”

 

“DON’T MAKE IT SOUND SO BAD!” Papyrus piped up. “YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE! JUST BY HANGING AROUND THE TWO COOLEST SKELETONS IN THE AREA, YOU’LL BECOME THE TALK OF THE TOWN!”

 

“You’re the only skeletons in town,” Flowey grumbled.

 

“THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT, FLOWEY,” the tall skeleton replied, giving the flower a stern look. “BUT THERE IS ANOTHER… REASON FOR YOU TO STAY HERE.”

 

“Let me guess; your Smiley brother doesn’t trust them,” Flowey said with a pointed look at Sans.

 

“bingo,” Sans replied, winking with a finger gun. “it’ll be easier to keep a socket out for you, as well.”

 

Frisk put his hand to his face again, sliding it down this time, groaning. “Fine, keep me here.”

 

Flowey looked at Frisk, stunned. “You’re not gonna argue back? What about all that Determination?!”

 

Frisk shook his head. “No, there is no point in arguing,” he gave a shrug. “Besides, there is really no point in advancing through so quickly, when everyone will just assume I’m a Monster.”

 

“Ugh!” Flowey loudly groaned. “In that case, just put me back outside until then. You can dump me for all I care!”

 

Frisk turned around, nodding as he walked toward the door. However, he felt a bony hand touch his shoulder. He looked back to see Sans looking at him with an unreadable expression. “you’ll get the couch for tonight.”

 

“The couch? Ugh, that thing is lumpy!” Flowey complained.

 

“Don’t see why you’re complaining, considering  _ you’re _ not the one who’s gonna sleep on it,” Frisk said, then nudged Flowey.

 

“Besides, free 30 G!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is appreciated!


	13. A Morning Chat (With a Side of Puzzles)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk has a small chat the next morning

Frisk groaned lightly when he slowly awoke from the couch, rolling his joints to remove the feeling of knotted muscles; he didn’t even know that would still be possible without muscles. Sighing, Frisk sat up on the couch bed, fishing through the sheets for his phone. Some clinks of loose coins against his finger bones sounded before he felt the smooth plastic of the phone.

 

Lighting up its primitive screen, the time it said was only one minute before seven. Exhaling loudly, Frisk flopped onto his back. Certain things are inevitable, regardless of if one remembered through RESETs.

 

He didn’t even flinch as the loud sound of Papyrus’ bedroom door opening and slamming in the span of a single second. “GREETINGS AND GOOD MORNING, FRISK,” he announced to the younger skeleton, quickly walking down the stairs and toward the kitchen. “DID YOU SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT?”

 

“Kinda,” Frisk groaned. “I kept finding coins trying to slip between my joints. And my joints feel knotted, despite lacking any muscles,” he added as a complaint.

 

Papyrus stopped where he stood, beginning to stomp his boot in place. “I KEEP TELLING SANS TO STOP PUTTING COINS IN THE MOST INCONVENIENT LOCATIONS!”

 

“what can i say?” Sans suddenly appeared, leaning against the couch arm. “the bank of sans is more secure than any bank you’ll find.”

 

Frisk’s bones rattled as he flinched from the sudden appearance; Papyrus, on the other hand, was nonplussed, turning toward the shorter skeleton. “THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO LAZY TO PUT YOUR MONEY IN A BANK, LIKE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT!”

 

Frisk turned to Sans, unsure. “You’re up… a lot earlier than I remember.”

 

Sans winked tensely. “i gotta be, considering i still have a job that should’ve ended three years ago.”

 

“NOW NOW, YOU TWO,” Papyrus waved his gloved hands, trying to halt the rising tension in the room. “WE CAN HAVE A TALK ABOUT SUCH THINGS AFTER WE HAVE BREAKFAST, ALRIGHT?”

 

The two shorter skeletons looked at one another for a few seconds before Sans just shrugged. “sure, whatever you say.”

 

“What’s for breakfast?” Frisk asked, stretching before climbing out of the folding bed.

 

“WELL, IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE’VE HAD A CLASSIC BREAKFAST, SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MY FAVORITE FOOD-”

 

“spaghetti?” Sans guessed.

 

“WHAT? NO, IT’S OATMEAL WITH DINOSAUR EGGS IN IT!” Papyrus corrected, looking through various cupboards for the box. “JUST BECAUSE I COOK SPAGHETTI WITH UNDYNE OFTEN, IT DOESN’T MAKE IT MY MOST FAVORITE FOOD,” he proclaimed, locating the box of oatmeal and placing it on the counter.

 

Frisk walked up to Papyrus, looking up at the tall skeleton. “I thought you forgot what your favorite food was.”

 

Getting out some bowls, Papyrus sighed fondly. “I DID, BUT THEN FLOWEY REMINDED ME OF WHAT IT WAS.”

 

Frisk was about to reply, but Sans cut in. “i know, you like to talk about your… mutual friend, but i’d rather keep my mornings  _ weed-free _ ,” he turned toward Frisk. “capische?”

 

“Yeah yeah,” Frisk waved his hand dismissively. He turned to Papyrus. “What plans do you have for today?”

 

“HMM,” Papyrus hummed, tapping an unnecessary wooden spoon to his chin. “WELL, I ASSUME YOU MEAN OTHER THAN PUZZLE RECALIBRATION?”

 

“what else could the kid mean,” Sans spoke before Frisk.

 

“WELL,” the taller skeleton began, placing the bowls of oatmeal into the (thankfully retrieved) microwave, pressing on one of the many ‘spaghetti’ options. “AFTER THE MORNING PUZZLE RECALIBRATION, I AM SCHEDULED FOR A COOKING LESSON WITH UNDYNE JUST AFTER LUNCH.”

 

Sans startled, but only slightly. “‘cooking’ lesson? just cooking? not for the royal guard?”

 

“Did you… find out?” Frisk quietly asked, head slightly bowed.

 

Papyrus stood still, nervous. “ACTUALLY… UNDYNE TOLD LAST YEAR (AT LEAST, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE),” his smile turned into a small frown. “I SUSPECT SHE FELT GUILTY FOR THAT, AND FOR BOTTLING IT UP FOR SO LONG… I GUESS LAST TIMELINE KIND OF PROVED IT,” his smile suddenly turned back up as the microwave beeped. “BUT NO MATTER! WHAT’S PAST IS FUTURE… OR PAST. WHEREVER IT LIES IN A TIMELINE, THE ONLY PART THAT’S SIGNIFICANT IS THAT WE REMEMBER!”

 

Frisk blinked, unsure of how exactly to respond to that whiplash. “You, my dear skeleton, are the only one I know who can turn to something optimistic at the drop of a hat,” he managed to say.

 

Papyrus took out the bowls of oatmeal. “I DO NOT WEAR HATS, FRISK, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT. OTHER THAN THAT DIGRESSION, THAT IS ONE THING THAT MAKES ONE AS GREAT AS I, BECAUSE  _ SOMEONE _ NEEDS TO BE THE OPTIMISTIC ONE AROUND HERE,” he narrowed his sockets in the direction of Sans.

 

“why are you looking at me?” Sans winked and gave a nonchalant shrug. “you easily provide enough optimism for the both of us.”

 

Papyrus gave a small harrumph as he poured a little milk into each bowl. “VERY WELL, BROTHER. I WILL ALLOW THIS ONE INSTANCE TO GO PAST ME,” he put the milk away. “NOW THAT IT IS FINISHED, WE SHALL BEGIN TO DELVE INTO OUR DELICIOUS BREAKFASTS!”

 

Frisk took his bowl of oatmeal, eating a spoonful before yelping.

 

“Ack! Too hot!”

 

* * *

  
  


“NOW, WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE RECALIBRATION BEFORE I NEED TO LEAVE,” Papyrus stated, marching up to the colored tile puzzle. “THIS SHOULD BE GOOD FOR RECALIBRATION.”

 

“Why does this one always do the pink path sided by red tiles?” Frisk asked, keeping his voice low, in case Alphys was listening in.

 

“HMM?” Papyrus asked, opening up the panel of the suspiciously Mettaton-esque machine. “OH, RIGHT. AS YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE BRILLIANT DR. ALPHYS WHO DESIGNED THIS PUZZLE.”

 

“Yeah…” Frisk motioned for the tall skeleton to continue.

 

“it means she’s got access to every instance of this puzzle,” Sans said, leaning against the machine.

 

“YOU’RE RIGHT, BROTHER,” Papyrus continued. “IN EVERY OTHER TIMELINE, SHE DELIBERATELY SET THE PUZZLE TO ENSURE THAT YOU WOULD PASS.”

 

“That does not explain why it did that this timeline,” the former human mumbled.

 

“remember, kid; some things are inevitable regardless of when they happen in a timeline,” Sans stated.

 

“THERE!” Papyrus shouted in triumph, closing the front panel of the machine with a flourish. “NOW, TAKE YOUR PLACE ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND WE SHALL SEE IF THIS PUZZLE IS WORTHY OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS,” Papyrus flipped a switch, and the puzzle began to cycle through each color, speeding up with every change.

 

… only for it to land in the same pattern as yesterday, except the colors are switched, blocking Frisk’s passage. Papyrus looked at the tiles with googly eyes.

 

“i’d say that path is quite  _ puzzling _ . would you agree?” Sans chuckled.

 

Papyrus did not give a reply. Instead, he stomped off quickly to the east, grumbling loudly as he sped off.

 

“Papyrus, wait!” Frisk shouted after the tall skeleton.

 

“too late, kid. he’s already out of hearing range,” Sans replied.

 

“Did  _ you _ have anything to do with this outcome?” the younger skeleton asked, glaring at the other skeleton.

 

“me?” Sans placed a hand on his chest in mock offense then shook his head. “nah, that one was purely by chance. now, if you ask me, it’s karma for what happened last timeline.”

 

Frisk groaned. “Could you at least flip the switch so I could get back to the house?”

 

Sans pushed himself from the leaning position he was in. “sorry, but this is good enough for now. i know i said we’d keep an eye on you, but being this hands-on is too much much work for this skeleton. so, be seein’ you around. you won’t be seein’ me, but it still holds,” he said, walking around to the other side of the machine.

 

“Sans, get your lazybones self back over here!” Frisk shouted over to the other side. Sans only chuckled more, turning to the opposite end of the machine. As soon as Frisk heard the sound of air being displaced, he let out a loud growl.

 

Not wanting to risk falling off the cliffs to get gack to the house, Frisk stomped his way west. Minutes later, he found in the spaghetti room. Harrumphing in frustration, he sat down next to the mouse hole.

 

“Stuck on this side of the tile puzzle?” Flowey said, popping up from underneath the snow not a minute later, a condescending smile on his face.

 

“Sans wouldn’t flip the flipping switch for me,” Frisk grumbled.

 

“Aww, someone complaining that a lazy piece of trash wouldn’t do something as simple as use a lever? News flash idiot: colored tile puzzles only need a few minutes to reset themselves!” Flowey shouted, giving a cruel laugh.

 

The skeleton sighed. “Why are you bothering me right now anyway? Other than to be a condescending jerk?”

 

“I just came to say: Papyrus arrived at Undyne’s house a couple minutes ago,” Flowey informed.

 

“And?”

 

“He remembered that he forgot to let you go, and  _ told _ Undyne of you being your ‘cousin’ and that he should be back to her place momentarily.”

 

Frisk straightened out, standing up. “Why are you saying it like it’s a bad thing?”

 

The two looked to the east, the sound of loud, crunching footsteps swiftly approaching.

 

Flowey grimaced, looking at Frisk. “It means you better prepare yourself.”

 

Flowey burrowed underground as the footsteps came nearer. Frisk, meanwhile, looked blankly at the path.

 

Papyrus and Undyne appeared seconds later, panting heavily.

 

“Hey, punk!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. The fan on my computer quit working, and when that got resolved, I had slight writer's block. I hope that I won't take as long next chapter
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!


	14. Checkups, Alright?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk meets Undyne, and goes to Hotland

Frisk stood still where he was, unsure of how to respond properly. “Um… hi?”

 

Undyne slouched, breathing heavily with her hands resting on her knees. “So, this punk is your cousin?”

 

“I BELIEVE I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT,” Papyrus stated, panting as well.

 

“How come I never knew that you had any cousins before now?”

 

“BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE LAST SAW ONE ANOTHER. A VERY WHILE. OBVIOUSLY BEFORE MY ROYAL GUARDSMAN TRAINING EVEN STARTED,” Papyrus supplied.

 

Undyne gave a slightly guilty expression at the final sentence, but quickly wiped it from her face, looking in the former human’s direction. “Really? You didn’t tell me? You talk about anything and everything!”

 

“TO BE FAIR, YOU HARDLY TALK ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, SO I FIGURED TO KEEP IT TO JUST TALKING ABOUT MY BROTHER IN REGARDS TO MINE.”

 

Undyne winced, then shrugged. “Eh, fair point,” she straightened out, looking at Frisk. “But, since I’m meeting ‘em now, do you know what that means?”

 

“Y-YES?” Papyrus stammered, knowing full well of what ensued.

 

A wicked gleam came from Undyne’s single eye. “Meeting noogie!”

 

Frisk took a step back. “Undyne, I don’t really think-” he began, but the fish Monster already took a hold on his skull, grinding her knuckles onto it.

 

“UNDYNE, PLEASE DO NOT NOOGIE ANY SKELETON,” Papyrus pleaded.

 

“Nah, I don’t think I’ll ever  _ not _ noogie someone,” Undyne stated, finishing with a hard grind, letting go.

 

“WELL, I THINK I SHOULD BRING THEM HOME BEFORE WE START, CONSIDERING HOW MY LAZYBONES OF A BROTHER FAILED TO DO THAT HIMSELF,” Papyrus said, looking suspiciously into the treeline.

 

“Well, then why don’t we bring them along to the training?” Undyne suggested. “It’d be a he… ck lot better than staying at your place until you or your lazy brother get back.”

 

“I THOUGHT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO A 1-ON-1 TRAINING SESSION?” Papyrus asked, wringing his gloved hands.

 

Undyne looked at him suspiciously. “Seriously, man? I thought that you, of all people, would be on board with this idea.”

 

“WELL, YOU SEE…” Papyrus began, but was unsure of how to proceed.

 

“their parents wanted us to keep them in snowdin, but only for now,” Sans said, appearing from behind his boss. “besides, the kid is still overdue for a medical checkup. of the soul variety.”

 

Undyne turned sharply toward Sans, eye narrowing in suspicion as she sneered. “Since when did  _ you _ become responsible all of a sudden?”

 

“Because they told him they’ll personally dunk him if he fails,” Frisk added in, smirking.

 

“Oh,” the fish replied. She then looked up. “Why don’t you take the Riverperson’s boat to Alphys’? She’s the best doctor any of us know.”

 

“BECAUSE THEY’LL STILL BE LEAVING SNOWDIN,” Papyrus made his looking away expressing. “BESIDES, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHE IS THAT KIND OF DOCTOR.”

 

“I know. But she should have that type of equipment in case the need arises,” Undyne put her fists on her hips. “Here’s the plan; we can get the pipsqueak a check-up, and the two of us can use  _ her _ kitchen for our training, so that they could join in once we’re done, alright?”

 

“THEIR PARENTS WOULDN’T BE APPRECIATIVE OF IF WE TOLD THEM THAT,” Papyrus stated, looking at Sans.

 

Frisk yelped as Undyne picked him up with a single arm, slinging him onto his shoulder. “Then I’m glad I’m not the one telling them,” she said, and dashed off, young skeleton in tow.

 

“Last one to the lab has to sniff the garlics!”

 

* * *

  
  


Thanks to Undyne’s head start, the duo made it to Alphys’ lab first. It being Hotland, Undyne pounded her fist on the lab door rapidly, beginning to breathe heavily from the hot, dry air outside.

 

“J-just a moment!” Alphys called from within, the sounds of something shuffling from behind the door. Once it stopped, quick footsteps came to the door. “H-hello?”

 

“Sup, nerd!” Undyne greeted, stepping in eagerly.

 

The sliding door began to close behind the Monsters, but not before the sounds of rapid footsteps were heard, sticking a bony arm through the gap, revealing Papyrus. “THAT HEADSTART WAS VERY UNFAIR, UNDYNE!”

 

“Just saying, but I’m still hanging here,” Frisk pointed out, hanging limply over Undyne’s shoulder. “What am I, a bag of bones?”

 

“technically speaking, you are,” Sans said, coming down on the escalator.

 

Alphys yelped, clutching her hand. “S-sans! Please don’t d-do that!”

 

“YOU ARE  _ NOT _ JUST A BAG OF BONES,” Papyrus stated. “YOU ARE JUST A REGULAR SKELETON MONSTER IN REGULAR CLOTHES.”

 

Alphys looked around at everyone. “Wh-why are you a-all h-here?”

 

Frisk could tell that she was definitely watching the whole exchange that happened with Undyne back in Snowdin.

 

Undyne pointed a thumb at Frisk, sliding him off of her shoulder. “This pipsqueak needs a medical check up on their SOUL, and Pap and I need our training. So I decided that we should just hit two birds with one enormous boulder.”

 

“Uh, okay??” Alphys replied, seemingly unsure of how to proceed. “But y-you do know that I-I’m not  _ that _ kind of doctor, r-right?”

 

“Come on, Alphys. Why are you eager to perform such procedures whenever I’m in need of one, then?” Undyne asked sweetly.

 

Alphys squeaked in embarrassment, a small blush appearing. “I-I’ll get the e-equipment! You remember wh-where the kitchen is,” she quickly said, rushing toward the ‘bathroom’.

 

Undyne looked after the yellow dinosaur with a faintly fond smile, before turning her attention toward Papyrus. “Alright, let’s get to it, Pap! And you lost, so you know what that means,” she said, picking up the skeleton. Said skeleton let out a trail of ‘NYOO HOO HOO’s.

 

Frisk sighed, leaning back. “Guess the whole ‘stay in Snowdin for a while’ plan went to the trash really quick.”

 

Sans shrugged. “couldn’t really do anything like that with undyne in the mix,” he gave another shrug. “‘sides, this could reveal some information about… whatever you have become.”

 

Frisk thought back to when he was in the Ruins at the beginning of this timeline, and what Toriel told him. Mentally shrugging, it could reveal some things that pre-War knowledge lacks.

 

At that moment, the elevator door opened, out stepping Alphys with a few small monitors of various shapes rolling on a portable table. Dragging it behind her, she looked at Sans. “You don’t n-need to be here f-for this.” The short skeleton gave a small nod, disappearing up the escalator. Alphys turned toward Frisk. “N-now, would you rather do the b-body part of the exam first, o-or the SOUL part?”

 

Frisk shrugged. “Body, I guess?”

 

“Alright, j-just give me your hand,” the dinosaur Monster requested, the young skeleton holding it out. “Th-this is going to f-feel sticky, so that it w-wouldn’t slide a-around, okay?”

 

Frisk nodded, shuddering a bit as it came into contact with his bones; the substance felt cold, but that did not bother him thanks to his lack of skin. “Will this wash off afterward?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yes i-it will! I made it so that it is e-easily washable, much easier for those of us with th-things that are covered in h-hard things. Eheheh…” Alphys nervously laughed, looking at one of the monitors. She immediately frowned, brow furrowing slightly. “H-huh?”

 

“What’s wrong?” Frisk asked, frowning slightly as well.

 

“Y-your body scans… they’re unlike a-anything I’ve ever seen…”

 

“How so?”

 

Alphys’ frown deepened. “W-well, your SOUL’s ‘reception signal’ with your body appears to be k-kind of spotty at b-best…” she began to fiddle around with some dials and buttons. “H-how about we m-move on. Let’s check o-on your colored m-magics. B-before we check your SOUL.”

 

“Not like you’re gonna find anything different there,” Frisk mumbled under his breath, too low for the scientist to hear.

 

Alphys fiddled with a few more dials. “O-okay, here we go. This sh-should only take a few more…” she began, a chiming was heard. She looked over the results. From what Frisk could deduce, she was apparently rererere-reading the results. Her expression was that of extreme confusion, with horror slowly taking over.

 

“H-how? This shouldn’t e-even be possible!” she squeaked.

 

“What should not be possible?” Frisk questioned, growing concerned for Alphys.

 

“I’m going to need to check on your SOUL,” Alphys stated urgently, voice high-pitched with horror. If he heard right, it sounded like she forced her natural stutter away.

 

“Um, okay?” Frisk lowered his arms, leaving his chest area unobstructed. He could feel Alphys’ magic hone-in on his SOUL, bringing it forth. He gasped, Alphys as well, for different reasons.

 

His SOUL sat a few inches in front of his chest, upside down like a Monster’s, but still just as red as it was before.

 

* * *

  
  


Meanwhile, on the surface…

 

* * *

  
  


“Police reports state that this is the nineteenth murder of this kind this week,” a woman reporter announced, the red camera light blinking. Someone who appeared to be a forensics analyst stood by. “Behind me lies the scene of the most recent murder. The wounds are said to be ‘quite grievous’, but from the police can identify is that the victim was slashed from their right shoulder to their left hip. Forensics analyst Sean Shipeston is here to give details.”

 

The reporter held her microphone to Sean. “Hello. I would say thank you for any other scene, but… to be frank, this is the worst scene I’ve ever seen in my long career.”

 

“What makes you say such a thing?”

 

Sean wiped some imaginary sweat from his brow. “Well, for starters, while they suffered from what appears to be a slashing weapon, we determined that they did not die from their wounds, but rather an unknown tar-like substance that causes rapid necrosis in the surrounding flesh. We have, however, found copious quantities of magic in it.”

 

Both the cameraman and the reporter winced. “This sounds like a foul magic type at play. Did you ask the last magic family if they knew anything about it?”

 

The analyst shook his head. “Yes, but they vehemently denied any involvement in this. Even then, none of them, or anyone they have taught in modern history, have any history of using such magic. Offended, even.”

 

“Is there anything you’d like to add before we wrap this up?”

 

Sean shrugged. “Only that the other victims have had the exact pattern of slashing, and the same tar in their wounds.”

 

“That sounds like something hard to stomach,” the woman stated, turning toward the camera. “Well, there you have it folks. Who is the mysterious murderer, and will they be brought to justice soon?

 

“This is Susan Entschlossenheit, signing off for the evening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Entschlossenheit, from what I can tell, is German for 'determination'. Let's see if anyone knows why I named her that...
> 
> Also, I'm hoping to incorporate those two people in the end to become 'Chekhov's gunmen', though they'll be more common once the Barrier is destroyed
> 
> The last thing I'd like to mention is that, yes, magic is still known on the Surface, it's just turned into a lesser-used craft, thanks to some things that happened in their world's Industrial Revolution
> 
> Other than that, any feedback is appreciated!


	15. Going Down Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Alphys leave for a bit more testing

Alphys could not believe her eyes.

 

A Monster (heck, a  _ skeleton _ Monster) had dangerously high levels of Determination, that it even affected their very  _ SOUL _ . How was she even supposed to tell them that?! Sneaking a glance at the small skeleton, Alphys noted that they were surprised as well (she couldn’t help but think that they weren’t as surprised as she thought they should be).

 

As much as she wanted to tell them that it was nothing and then flee (God, how she wanted to do that so much), a part of her wanted to gather more data of this very unusual case.

 

… What if she justified it by thinking of it as helping Undyne down the line? The fish Monster also had extremely high levels of Determination as well, though not high enough to be too concerned about her health… as long as a human doesn’t fall down here. That, of all things, would likely send her careening over the threshold.

 

Clinging onto the rather flimsy justification, Alphys swallowed, looking at the young skeleton. “A-alright, you c-can put your S-SOUL back, but w-we’ll have to do a little m-more testing. But w-wait here so I-I can inform them th-that we’ll be going s-somewhere else for a bit.”

 

The skeleton nodded, cupping their SOUL and bringing it to their chest. Alphys, on the other hand, walked in the direction of the kitchen. Stepping on a  _ very _ specific tile in the corner, the tile depressed like a button, a section of wall seamlessly separating. The yellow dinosaur cringed as she heard dishes crashing into one another.

 

Thankfully, she had heavily reinforced and fireproofed the kitchen walls for whenever Undyne came over.

 

“YES! Stir harder, Papyrus! Stir it harder than I can suplex you!” Undyne shouted.

 

“UNDYNE, WE BOTH KNOW THAT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. BUT I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT!” Papyrus replied, concentrating on the poor pot.

 

Alphys hastily cleared her throat, loud enough to catch Undyne’s attention. Said fish focused her single eye on her. “Yeah, what’s up?”

 

“Well, I discovered… s-something, and we’ll b-be going elsewhere in th-the labs for a while,” Alphys quickly spoke.

 

“WAS IT ANYTHING BAD?” the tall skeleton questioned, sounding concerned.

 

“N-no, it wasn’t,” Alphys quickly lied. “It’s j-just something strange and n-non-concerning. Th-that’s all.”

 

“Oh,” Undyne replied. “Sounds important. But I still want them to be present for this lesson once they’re finished!”

 

“Right,” Alphys noted, looking at Papyrus. He appeared to want to believe her, but was unsure of if it was the truth.

 

Rather than face the skeleton for any longer, Alphys turned away, walking away from the kitchen. Walking toward the smaller skeleton, she beckoned them toward the elevator door. “This w-way, if you d-don’t mind.”

 

They nodded, following her. However, they stopped in front of the bathroom sign, a curious expression on their skull. “I just remembered to ask; why does this have a bathroom sign? Monsters do not need to use such things.”

 

“Ehehehehe,” Alphys laughed nervously. “Y-you’ll find out shortly,” she said, ushering them into the elevator.

 

Alphys resented the fact of what she was doing right now, but she could not figure out any solution more favorable to  what she needed to know. The heavy-duty equipment required for a more thorough scan of their SOUL was located in the True Lab. Even if she  _ was _ able to bring it up (she can’t; too heavy), it would take too long for anyone’s convenience. She was glad only for her memorization of the Amalgamates’ behavioral patterns, so that neither would startle the other.

 

The only ones she had to be concerned about for this time of day of where they were heading were the Memoryheads, though as long as she didn’t try using the sinks, they would be fine. The others hardly ever came out beyond the bed room without being called for.

 

Alphy pressed a few buttons on the wall of the elevator once the young skeleton entered it. The elevator jerked slightly, before slowly descending.

 

“So… where are we going?” the skeleton Monster (could they even be called one at this point?) asked.

 

“Deeper,” was all she replied, not wanting to divulge any more information than she had to.

 

The elevator stopped, so the duo left it as soon as the doors were wide enough to allow them through. As the two walked down the halls, the screens of the logs she wrote lit up. Alphys cringed with each one they passed, but the skeleton behind her appeared to pay them no mind, to which she was grateful.

 

The two came across what was originally a lobby area, with another elevator right ahead. “To the l-left, if you don’t mind.”

 

They nodded, walking past the popato chisp vending machine. Alphys followed, knowing that one couldn’t possibly get lost in this section of the lab. The two arrived in a room with sinks, along with a few operating tables. Alphys turned to the skeleton.

 

“N-now, where sh-should I begin?”

 

* * *

  
  


Frisk could not believe what was happening right now.

 

“How about you tell me why you brought me down here?” Frisk crossed his arms, unsure of what to do with them.

 

Alphys audibly gulped. “W-well, I brought you down h-here because,” she clicked her claws together nervously, “well, th-the equipment I b-brought up a while back i-isn’t strong enough to detect wh-what’s going on with you?”

 

“Figures that all your DT-centered stuff is down here,” Frisk muttered under his breath.

 

“Um, wh-what?” Alphys asked, sweat appearing on her brow.

 

“Nothing, nothing,” the young skeleton waved off. “What do you need to get?”

 

“I-I just need to set up some e-equipment in another room. I-I’ll explain to you about what’s going on once I’ve got m-more data, okay,” Alphys stated. “I’ll get you once I’ve set everything up. Just… just don’t use the sinks, or wander off, o-okay?”

 

“Got it,” Frisk nodded.

 

“Th-thanks,” Alphys said, walking to the left, stepping on a floor tile, a section of wall seamlessly sliding away, revealing a hallway.

 

Once Frisk was sure that Alphys was out of hearing distance, he immediately went toward the leftmost sink, tapping on the faucet.

 

“Come on, I know you’re in there,” Frisk quietly said. While he did want to stick with his promise to her, he wanted to see Alphys get more comfortable about the Amalgamates’ existence being known by someone else. That being said, he wasn’t  _ using _ the sinks, like what Alphys wanted.

 

Giving a few more taps, Frisk sighed, moving on to the next sink. “You know as much as I do of how much she needs something like this…” he gave a few more loud taps.

 

Grumbling as he moved onto the next sink, he thought back to what happened when he was last down here.

 

He was going to sorely regret this, he knew it.

 

Frisk stepped back, inhaling deeply. “Want to join the fun?” he calmly asked.

 

A white sludge came out of the sink in front of him. Once the sink was filled, a cartoon smile appeared in the center, before stretching out above the sink, multiple smiles upon its goopy form.

 

Footsteps came from the hallway, causing Frisk to freeze where he was. “A-alright! You can- OH MY GOD!” Alphys came from the hallway, horrified. “What happened?!”

 

Frisk was about to answer, but was cut off by what sounded to be an old dial-up sound. Dots appeared around the two, before bursting into the shapes of faces. At the same time, his phone began to ring.

 

Taking out his phone, Frisk held it up to the side of his skull, unsure of where to place it. “Hello?”

 

“Come join the fun,” a voice came from the receiver.

 

Frisk turned toward Alphys, who looked too terrified at the moment to respond. “Uh… no thanks. Your idea of ‘fun’ must be different from mine.”

 

“Oh well,” the Memoryheads conceded, a few bullets flying out. It no longer cared.

 

Frisk grinned slightly, turning toward Alphys as he spared the Amalgamate. “I had it under control.”

 

Alphys watched the Amalgamate go back into the sink, eyes very wide. “I’m. S-so. Sorry. That you had to see them. But, you seemed, u-uh, relatively calm?”

 

Frisk waved her off. “It’s no problem.”

 

The yellow dinosaur gulped, ushering Frisk down the hidden hallway. “I’m sorry you had to see them like that,” she repeated herself. “I would have brought you with me had I known they would do that.”

 

Frisk rubbed the back of his skull. “Actually, I think I accidentally may have provoked them,” he quickly lied. “I got slightly bored and tapped on the sinks.”

 

“Oh…” Alphys awkwardly replied. “I-I guess that k-kind of makes sense? I m-mean, you’re only a ch-child.”

 

“Will you tell me what that was?”

 

Alphys gulped. “W-well, you’ve seen them, i-it’s only fair that I tell you what they are… But c-can you please n-not tell a-anyone?”

 

Frisk held out a pinky. “Pinky swear.”

 

Alphys held out her own pinky, putting it around Frisk’s pinky. “Pinky swear,” she quickly retreated once it was finished.

 

The two entered a medium-sized room, walls lined with various data-recording equipment. Alphys walked up to a chair that was set in the center.

 

“But I w-want to do the tests first, if y-you don’t mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I should give a little bit of Alphys perspective, to add a bit more flavor to the mix. Hope no one minded much
> 
> Another thing to add: hidden doors to the labs! Now, I feel like the labs (both topside and the True Lab) are a bit too small for laboratories, so the only logical solutions to make them bigger would be either space compression (which only makes sense from our end), or hidden doors that only someone who works there would know of. Then I could technically add anything that makes sense
> 
> Other than that, any feedback is appreciated!


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